title: Nitroreduction of 6-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene: a potential activation pathway in humans.
abstract: 6-Nitrobenzo[a]pyrene, an environmental pollutant, was metabolized by human intestinal microflora to 6-nitrosobenzo[a]pyrene and 6-aminobenzo[a]pyrene. The two-electron reduction product 6-nitrosobenzo[a]pyrene exhibited strong direct-acting mutagenicity in the Salmonella typhimurium assay. These results imply that 6-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene can be hazardous to human health via a nitroreduction activation pathway and opens the possibility that other nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that are not direct-acting mutagens may be activated in vivo by a similar mechanism.
authors.affiliation: National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, AR 72079.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Cerniglia
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Heflich
mesh_terms: D001580:Benzopyrenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001580:Benzopyrenes; D009153:Mutagens; C034699:6-nitrobenzo(a)pyrene; C035242:6-aminobenzo(a)pyrene