The effects of ozone on the respiratory epithelium and alveolar macrophages of mice. I. Interferon production.

The effects of 0.8 ppm ozone on the capacity of the tracheal epithelium and alveolar macrophages of mice to produce interferon in vitro was studied. Exposure of mice to ozone for a period of 11 days or more affected the capacity of the tracheal epithelial cells in vitro to produce interferon. The inability of the tracheal epithelium in vitro to produce interferon was not due to the inhibition in the release of intracellular interferon but to an inhibition in the production of interferon. There was a complete recovery of the ability of tracheal epithelium to respond to interferon inducers after the mice were returned to ambient air 24 days post ozone exposure. However, ozone did not seem to have any affect on the capacity of the alveolar macrophages to produce interferon in vitro.