Biochemical effects of ozone on asthma during postnatal development

BackgroundOzone exposure during early life has the potential to contribute to the development of asthma as well as to exacerbate underlying allergic asthma.Scope of ReviewDevelopmentally regulated aspects of sensitivity to ozone exposure and downstream biochemical and cellular responses.Major ConclusionsDevelopmental differences in antioxidant defense responses, respiratory physiology, and vulnerabilities to cellular injury during particular developmental stages all contribute to disparities in the health effects of ozone exposure between children and adults.General SignificanceOzone exposure has the capacity to affect multiple aspects of the “effector arc” of airway hyperresponsiveness, ranging from initial epithelial damage and neural excitation to neural reprogramming during infancy. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Biochemistry of Asthma.

Research Highlights
► Juvenile ozone exposure responses differ from adult responses.
► Antioxidant defenses / genetically regulated host responses govern the ozone contribution to asthma.
► Lung structural changes after early life ozone exposures may permanently affect airway stability.