title: Effect of vitamins A, C and glutathione on the mutagenicity of benzo[a]pyrene mediated by S9 from vitamin A-deficient rats.
abstract: Vitamin A deficiency has been shown to enhance the mutagenicity of benzo[a]pyrene (Narbonne et al., 1985). Here we report that this is not a result of increased benzo[a]pyrene metabolism but might be a consequence of either a lack of vitamin A or a decreased level of scavengers (ascorbic acid and glutathione) in the liver. However, the addition of vitamin A in vitro in the form of retinyl palmitate strongly inhibits the benzo[a]pyrene mutagenicity. An enhancing effect on the mutagenicity of benzo[a]pyrene is observed with addition of ascorbic acid when incubated with high amounts of the precarcinogen. In vivo addition of high levels of glutathione also reduces the mutagenicity of benzo[a]pyrene.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D001711:Biotransformation; D005978:Glutathione / Q000494:pharmacology; D008110:Liver Extracts / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000235:genetics; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008110:Liver Extracts; D009153:Mutagens; D014801:Vitamin A; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D005978:Glutathione; D001205:Ascorbic Acid