Ozone-Induced Dysregulation of Neuroendocrine Axes Requires Adrenal-Derived Stress Hormones

Acute ozone inhalation increases circulating stress hormones through activation of the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axes. Rats with adrenalectomy (AD) have attenuated ozone-induced lung responses. We hypothesized that ozone exposure will induce changes in circulating pituitary-derived hormones and global gene expression in the brainstem and hypothalamus, and that AD will ameliorate these effects. Male Wistar-Kyoto rats (13 weeks) that underwent sham surgery (SHAM) or AD were exposed to ozone (0.8 ppm) or filtered-air for 4 h. In SHAM rats, ozone exposure decreased circulating thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin (PRL), and luteinizing hormone (LH). AD prevented reductions in TSH and PRL, but not LH. AD increased adrenocorticotropic hormone approximately 5-fold in both air- and ozone-exposed rats. AD in air-exposed rats resulted in few significant transcriptional differences in the brainstem and hypothalamus (approximately 20 genes per tissue). In contrast, ozone-exposure in SHAM rats resulted in either increases or decreases in expression of hundreds of genes in the brainstem and hypothalamus relative to air-exposed SHAM rats (303 and 568 genes, respectively). Differentially expressed genes from ozone exposure were enriched for pathways involving hedgehog signaling, responses to alpha-interferon, hypoxia, and mTORC1, among others. Gene changes in both brain areas were analogous to those altered by corticosteroids and L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, suggesting a role for endogenous glucocorticoids and catecholamines. AD completely prevented this ozone-induced transcriptional response. These findings show that short-term ozone inhalation promotes a shift in brainstem and hypothalamic gene expression that is dependent upon the presence of circulating adrenal-derived stress hormones. This is likely to have profound downstream influence on systemic effects of ozone.