title: Biotransformation of methyl tert-butyl ether by human cytochrome P450 2A6.
abstract: Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is widely used as gasoline oxygenate and octane number enhancer for more complete combustion in order to reduce the air pollution caused by motor vehicle exhaust. The possible adverse effects of MTBE on human health are of major public concern. However, information on the metabolism of MTBE in human tissues is scarce. The present study demonstrates that human cytochrome P450 2A6 is able to metabolize MTBE to tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), a major circulating metabolite and marker for exposure to MTBE. As CYP2A6 is known to be constitutively expressed in human livers, we infer that it may play a significant role in metabolism of gasoline ethers in liver tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran. mshamsipur@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shamsipur
authors.forename: Ali Akbar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Miran Beigi
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teymouri
authors.forename: Tahereh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Poursaberi
authors.forename: S Mojtaba
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mostafavi
authors.forename: Parviz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soleimani
authors.forename: Fereshteh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chitsazian
authors.forename: Shahram Abolhassan
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Tash
mesh_terms: D055162:Biocatalysis; D001711:Biotransformation; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D008738:Methyl Ethers; C043243:methyl tert-butyl ether; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System