title: Transformation of zearalenone and zearalenol by rat erythrocytes.
abstract: The interconversion of zearalenone and zearalenol by rat erythrocytes in vitro has been investigated. The major metabolite obtained by incubating zearalenone with erythrocytes or whole blood from Sprague-Dawley rats was alpha-zearalenol. beta-Zearalenol was also formed but at levels several times lower than those of alpha-zearalenol. In the cell-free haemolysate NADPH was much more effective than NADH as a co-factor in the reduction of zearalenone. The maximal transformation of zearalenone to zearalenol by haemolysates occurred at pH 8.0. Both NAD+ and NADP+ were effective as co-factors in the oxidation of alpha-zearalenol to zearalenone. However, only NADP+ was effective as a co-factor in the oxidation of beta-zearalenol. Conversion of alpha-zearalenol and beta-zearalenol to the corresponding epimer was observed in both erythrocyte suspensions and in cell-free haemolysates. The significance of these findings to the metabolism of zearalenone in vivo is discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001711:Biotransformation; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009249:NADP / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012118:Resorcinols / Q000378:metabolism*; D015025:Zearalenone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D015029:Zeranol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012118:Resorcinols; C029659:zearalenol; D009249:NADP; D015025:Zearalenone; D015029:Zeranol