Dustin Rousselle
Hello! I am Dustin Rousselle, a first year Master of Science Student in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences. After my master’s degree, I plan to continue my education and get a PhD in Environmental Health Sciences. I currently work in the Silveyra Lab, studying the sex differences in ozone induced lung inflammation. My research interest is in environmental exposure toxicology, and I want to continue in this area of research and achieve a career at the NIEHS in the toxicology division.
Acute exposure to ozone affects circulating estradiol levels and folliculogenesis in female mice
Ozone is a highly reactive gas known to cause lung inflammation, oxidative stress, and other deleterious health effects when inhaled. Epidemiological studies have suggested that exposure to ozone can alter hormone secretion and affect fertility. In this study we used an animal model to investigate the effects of ozone on the endocrine system. We exposed adult (8 week old) female mice to ozone (2 ppm) or filtered air (FA) for three hours while they were in the proestrus phase of the estrous cycle (n=5/group). Four hours after the exposure, the ovaries were harvested, fixed-embedded in paraffin, and sliced, and blood was collected for serum hormone determinations by ELISA. Our results showed a 55% increase in proestrus estradiol levels in mice exposed to ozone vs. FA (p<0.01). Serum progesterone and luteinizing hormone levels saw no change. We also found a small increase in the number of corpora lutea and secondary follicles in ozone-exposed mice (not significant). Gene expression in the pituitary gland was significantly decreased when exposed to ozone. We conclude that ozone exposure leads to an increase in estradiol levels in mice while in the proestrus phase of the estrous cycle. This increase may play a role in the disproportionate amount of lung inflammation observed in mice exposed to ozone. Further studies on the effects of ozone in steroidogenesis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis are needed to elucidate the mechanisms behind the increase of estradiol caused by inhaled ambient ozone.
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