title: Polychlorinated biphenyls and dibenzofurans in patients with yusho and their toxicological significance: a review.
abstract: The rice oil ingested by the patients with yusho and their blood, liver, and adipose tissue were analyzed for individual congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans ( PCDFs ). The individual congeners identified were examined for accumulation in the liver of monkeys and rats, inducing activities of benzo[a]pyrene 3-hydroxylase, benzphetamine demethylase, and DT-diaphorase in rats, and gravimetric changes of the thymus and liver in rats. Among the six PCB congeners detected in yusho patients, 2,3,4,5,3',4'-hexa-CB seems to be the compound most related to yusho judging from its strong enzyme-inducing activities in the liver and the thymus atrophy and liver hypertrophy caused by feeding it to rats. PCDF congeners identified in the patients' tissues showed a stronger toxicity in rats than these PCBs, exhibiting stronger enzyme induction activities and gravimetric changes of the tissues. These PCDF congeners, especially 2,3,4,7,8-penta-CDF, were also very accumulative in the liver. Therefore, they are considered as the most important etiologic agents for the current symptoms and signs of yusho patients.
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D005506:Food Contamination; D000882:Haplorhini; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009821:Oils / Q000506:poisoning*; D012275:Oryza / Q000506:poisoning*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D009821:Oils; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls