Metabolism of benzo(a)pyrene in animals with high aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase levels and high rates of spontaneous cancer.
Ambystoma tigrinum found in a sewage polluted pond had high levels of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity that decreased to the basal level of control animals after being held several months in clean water. The qualitative formation of benzo(a)pyrene (BP) metabolites by salamander hepatic microsomes was similar to those seen for other species. Inhibition of epoxide hydrase activity did not alter the total metabolite production but did change the ratio of metabolites. A correlation appears to exist between high AHH induction, the presence of polycyclic hydrocarbon pollutants, and the high rate of spontaneous cancer in salamanders.
D000557:Ambystoma; D000818:Animals; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases / Q000378:metabolism*; D001580:Benzopyrenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary
D001580:Benzopyrenes; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases