title: Benzo[a]pyrene metabolism and induction of enzyme-altered foci in regenerating rat liver.
abstract: The metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene (BP) in regenerating rat liver and the induction of enzyme-altered foci (EAF) in the liver of partially hepatectomized rats, treated with BP and promoted with 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF)/CCl4 was investigated. The aim was to examine factors that might be of importance for the tumorigenicity of BP in the regenerating rat liver, such as cytochrome P-450 activity and glutathione levels. In regenerating rat liver, obtained 18 h after partial hepatectomy (PH), the amount of microsomal cytochrome P-450 was reduced by 20% whereas the level of glutathione was elevated by 15% and the cytosolic glutathione transferase activity towards chlorodinitrobenzene and (+/-)-7 beta,8 alpha-dihydroxy-9 alpha, 10 alpha-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-BP (BPDE) was unaffected. Microsomes from these animals had a reduced capacity to activate (-)-trans-7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-dihydro-BP (BPD) to DNA-binding products but the pattern of BP metabolites was similar to that observed with control rat liver microsomes. Treatment of rats with 3-methylcholanthrene (MC, 50 mg/kg body wt.) increased cytochrome P-450 levels and glutathione transferase activity towards both substrates. Regenerating livers from these animals retained their cytochrome P-450 level and enzymatic activity towards BP and BPD. Regenerating rat liver microsomes from MC-treated animals were about 35 times more efficient in activating BPD than microsomes from uninduced, partially hepatectomized animals. Intraperitoneal administration of BP (50 mg/kg body wt.) 18 h after PH induced EAF in rats subsequently promoted with 2-AAF/CCl4. Pretreatment of rats with MC 66 h before PH and 84 h before BP administration, increased the number of EAF. In accordance with results by Tsuda et al. (Cancer Res., 40 (1980) 1157-1164), these studies demonstrate that BP is tumorigenic in regenerating rat liver, despite a reduced ability of the liver to activate this compound. Furthermore, MC, an inducer of certain cytochrome P-450 species ("aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase"), potentiates the effect of BP.
mesh_terms: D015123:7,8-Dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo(a)pyrene 9,10-oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000378:metabolism*; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism; D004101:Dihydroxydihydrobenzopyrenes / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008748:Methylcholanthrene / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012038:Regeneration
chemical_list: D004101:Dihydroxydihydrobenzopyrenes; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D015123:7,8-Dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo(a)pyrene 9,10-oxide; D008748:Methylcholanthrene; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D005978:Glutathione