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At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Use of a monoclonal antibody specific for rabbit microsomal cytochrome P-450 3b to characterize the participation of this cytochrome in the microsomal 6 beta- and 16 alpha-hydroxylation of progesterone.

A monoclonal antibody was developed that is specific for the 3b electrophoretic class of rabbit liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 as judged by immunoprecipitation and subsequent electrophoretic analysis. The antibody is inhibitory of catalytically distinct, variant forms of P-450 3b prepared from New Zealand White or IIIVO/J rabbits, respectively. Peptide mapping of the immunopurified P-450 3b from NZW and IIIVO/J microsomes indicates that a characteristic difference between the variant forms is exhibited by the antigen. In addition, a competitive assay indicates that the binding properties of the antibody do not differ substantially toward the variant forms of P-450 3b. The inhibitory antibody was used to examine the contribution of P-450 3b to the microsomal 16 alpha- and 6 beta-hydroxylation of progesterone. The antibody inhibits 40-70% of the 16 alpha-hydroxylase activity of microsomes from either New Zealand White or IIIVO/J rabbits. In contrast, it does not inhibit 6 beta-hydroxylation catalyzed by microsomes prepared from strain IIIVO/J but does inhibit this reaction as catalyzed by microsomes from most New Zealand White rabbits. The antibody also inhibits the increased 16 alpha-hydroxylase activity of IIIVO/J microsomes observed in the presence of 5 beta-pregnane-3 beta,20 alpha-diol, an allosteric effector of this variant form of P-450 3b. Use of this monoclonal antibody provides a link between the observed properties of the purified, variant forms of P-450 3b and microsomal metabolism. These results indicate that the antibody can be used to phenotype variant forms of P-450 3b in microsomal fractions.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Liver microsomal membrane fluidity and microsomal desaturase activities in adult spontaneously hypertensive rats.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to investigate liver microsomal membrane fluidity simultaneously with membrane fatty acid composition and desaturase activities in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). DESIGN AND METHODS: The membrane fluidity was determined, after electron spin resonance (ESR) measurement, in SHR compared with normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, by calculating the order parameter S from ESR spectra of 5-nitroxide stearate and 10-nitroxide stearate, used as spin-labelled fatty acids. Desaturase activities were measured by incubating SHR and WKY rat liver microsomes with [14C]-radiolabeled fatty acids as substrates for desaturation reactions. The fatty acid composition of liver microsomal membranes was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Whereas no significant difference between S of 5-nitroxide stearate was observed for SHR and WKY rats, S of 10-nitroxide stearate was significantly lower in SHR than it was in WKY rat microsomal membrane, indicating that the core microsomal membrane fluidity was higher in SHR. Significant differences between fatty acid compositions were observed for SHR and WKY rat microsomal membranes. Delta9 and n-6 delta6 microsomal desaturase activities were significantly lower in SHR. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the higher liver core microsomal membrane fluidity observed in SHR might be dependent on the increased proportion of mono-unsaturated fatty acids. Such observed modifications and the alterations in delta9 and n-6 delta6 desaturase activities suggest that an impaired polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis is related to changes in microsomal membrane fluidity in hypertension.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Microsomal opiate receptors: characterization of smooth microsomal and synaptic membrane opiate receptors.

In continuing studies on smooth microsomal and synaptic membranes from rat forebrain, we compared the binding properties of opiate receptors in these two discrete subcellular populations. Receptors in both preparations were saturable and stereospecific. Scatchard and Hill plots of [3H]naloxone binding to microsomes and synaptic membranes were similar to plots for crude membranes. Both synaptic membranes and smooth microsomes contained similar enrichments of low- and high-affinity [3H]naloxone binding sites. No change in the affinity of the receptors was observed. When [3H]D-ala2-D-leu5-enkephalin was used as ligand, microsomes possessed 60% fewer high-affinity sites than did synaptic membranes, and a large number of low-affinity sites. In competition binding experiments microsomal opiate receptors lacked the sensitivity to (guanyl-5'-yl)imidodiphosphate [Gpp(NH)p] shown by synaptic and crude membrane preparations. In this respect microsomal opiate receptors resembled membranes that were experimentally guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-uncoupled with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). Agonist binding to microsomal and synaptic membrane opiate receptors was decreased by 100 mM NaCl. Like NEM-treated crude membranes, microsomal receptors were capable of differentiating agonist and antagonists in the presence of 100 mM NaCl. MnCl2 (50-100 microM) reversed the effects of 100 mM NaCl and 50 microM GTP on binding of the mu-specific agonist [3H]dihydromorphine in both membrane populations. Since microsomal receptors are unable to distinguish agonists from antagonists in the presence of Gpp(NH)p, they are a convenient source of guanine nucleotide-uncoupled opiate receptors.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Stimulation of microsomal drug oxidation activities by incorporation into microsomes of purified NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase.

The effects of addition of purified NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase on microsomal activities of aniline hydroxylation, p-phenetidine O-deethylation and ethylmorphine and aminopyrine N-demethylations were investigated utilizing microsomes from untreated, phenobarbital-treated and 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats. The purified reductase was incorporated into microsomes. The drug oxidation activities were increased by the fortification of microsomes with the reductase while the extent of increase in the activities varied with the substrate and microsomes employed. The most pronounced enhancement was seen in p-phenetidine O-deethylation, followed by aniline hydroxylation and aminopyrine and ethylmorphine N-demethylations. The enhancement was more remarkable in microsomes from rats treated with 3-methylcholanthrene or phenobarbital. alpha-Naphthoflavone inhibited p-phenetidine O-deethylation activity markedly when the reductase was incorporated into microsomes, indicating that a larger amount of a species of cytochrome P-450 sensitive to the inhibitor was capable of participating in the oxidation of this substrate in the presence of the added reductase. One of the two Km values seen with higher concentrations of aniline or aminopyrine was altered by the fortification of microsomes with the purified NADPH cytochrome c (P-450) reductase. From these results, we propose that NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase transfers electrons to the selected one or two of multiple species of cytochrome P-450 more preferentially depending upon the substrate and the concentration of the substrate in microsomal membranes.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Enhancement of rat liver microsomal metabolism of azoxymethane to methylazoxymethanol by chronic ethanol administration: similarity to the microsomal metabolism of N-nitrosodimethylamine.

We compared the metabolism of azoxymethane (AOM) and of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) by liver microsomes obtained from male F344 rats pair-fed for 3 weeks either a control liquid diet or an isocaloric liquid diet containing ethanol at a concentration of 6.6% by volume. High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of the products of the microsomal metabolism of AOM showed that methylazoxymethanol was the only primary metabolite. While the formation of small (less than 4% of methylazoxymethanol) quantities of methanol and formaldehyde could also be detected in this reaction, these products could be accounted for almost entirely by the spontaneous decomposition of methylazoxymethanol. With NDMA as the substrate in the incubation system, the formation of methylamine, formaldehyde, methanol, and an additional, as yet unidentified metabolite was detected. Liver microsomes obtained from rats fed the ethanol-containing diet up to the time of sacrifice were 12-18 times more active in the metabolism of both AOM and NDMA than liver microsomes obtained from rats fed the control, ethanol-free diet for the same period. When rats fed the ethanol diet for 20.5 days were fed the control diet for 0.5 days and then sacrificed, only a 2- to 3-fold increase in the metabolism of both AOM and NDMA by liver microsomes was observed, indicating that cessation of ethanol intake results in a rapid decrease of the ethanol-induced metabolic enzymes. Hepatocytes isolated from ethanol-fed rats showed a significantly enhanced sensitivity to AOM- as well as to NDMA-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis, indicating that the increased rate of microsomal metabolism induced by ethanol is associated with enhanced carcinogen activation in vitro. The metabolism of AOM and NDMA by liver microsomes was inhibited to similar extents by carbon monoxide, pyrazole, sodium azide, aminoacetonitrile, imidazole, and ethanol. In addition, both ethanol and NDMA were found to inhibit competitively the microsomal metabolism of AOM. These results suggest that AOM and NDMA are metabolized by very similar, indeed perhaps the same rat liver microsomal enzyme(s).

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Oxidation of butadiene monoxide to meso- and (+/-)-diepoxybutane by cDNA-expressed human cytochrome P450s and by mouse, rat, and human liver microsomes: evidence for preferential hydration of meso-diepoxybutane in rat and human liver microsomes.

Butadiene monoxide (BM) can be oxidized by cDNA-expressed human cytochrome P450 enzymes and by mouse, rat, and human liver microsomes to yield meso- and (+/-)-diepoxybutane (DEB). The DEB diastereomers were separated by gas chromatography (GC) and characterized by GC-mass spectrometry. Of eight cDNA-expressed human P450 enzymes examined, only incubations with 2E1, 2A6, and 2C9 led to DEB detection; total DEB formation rate by 2E1 was nearly four- and sixfold higher than the rates observed with 2C9 and 2A6, respectively, while incubations with 1A1, 1A2, 2B6, 2D6, or 3A4 did not lead to DEB detection. meso-DEB was detected preferentially in 2A6 and 2E1 incubations (ratios nearly 2:1), whereas incubations with 2C9 led to detection of both isomers in approximately equal amounts. Incubations of mouse, rat, or human liver microsomes with BM and chlorzoxazone provided further evidence for the involvement of 2E1 in BM oxidation; meso-DEB was the major DEB form detected at high BM concentrations. The Vmax/Km ratio for total DEB formation obtained with mouse liver microsomes was higher than the ratios obtained with rat and human liver microsomes. However, DEB hydrolysis in human liver microsomes was greater than that observed with rat liver microsomes, while no hydrolysis was detectable in mouse liver microsomes. When the DEB diastereomers were added in a 1:1 ratio to human or rat liver microsomes, selective hydrolysis of meso-DEB was observed. These results, which characterize new metabolic reactions for BM and DEB, may be of toxicological importance, as significant species differences reflecting both the stereoselective oxidation of BM by P450 enzymes and the subsequent preferential meso-DEB hydration by epoxide hydrolase have been demonstrated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Increased production of hydroxyl radical by pericentral microsomes compared to periportal microsomes after pyrazole induction of cytochrome P4502E1.

Cytochrome P4502E1 is localized in the pericentral (PC) zone of the liver acinus to a greater extent than in the periportal (PP) zone. After pyrazole treatment, PC microsomes were more active in oxidizing typical substrates of CYP2E1 than PP microsomes and had an increased content of CYP2E1. The ability of PC and PP microsomes from pyrazole-treated rats to interact with iron and generate reactive oxygen species such as the hydroxyl radical (.OH) was evaluated. A sensitive DNA strand cleavage assay was used to detect .OH; supercoiled plasmid DNA is compact but is converted by .OH-induced single strand breaks to the relaxed open circular state. Microsomes from PC hepatocytes of pyrazole-treated rats were several fold more reactive than PP microsomes in promoting NADPH-dependent DNA strand cleavage with a variety of iron catalysts, including ferric-ATP, ferric-histidine, ferric-citrate, ferric ammonium sulfate, and ferric-EDTA. DNA strand cleavage was inhibited by superoxide dismutase, catalase, and .OH scavengers such as DMSO and ethanol. Rates of H2O2 production were higher with the PC microsomes. These results indicate that rates of .OH production are higher with PC microsomes than PP microsomes after pyrazole treatment to induce cytochrome P4502E1 and suggest the possibility that elevated production of reactive oxygen species may play a role in ethanol toxicity to the PC zone of the liver acinus.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Microsomal iron-dependent NADPH oxidation: evidence for the involvement of membrane-bound nonheme iron in NADPH oxidation by rat heart microsomes.

Rat heart microsomes were found to contain nonheme iron and two lines of evidence suggested that this iron was involved in NADPH oxidation. As first evidence, pretreatment of rats with iron gluconate increased microsomal iron content and NADPH oxidation. As second evidence, treatment of microsomes with nonionic detergent Triton N-101 decreased membrane iron content and NADPH oxidation. Triton N-101-solubilized nonheme iron was nondialyzable and ammonium sulfate-precipitable, indicative of association with protein(s). This protein-bound iron per se did not oxidize NADPH but its addition to detergent-treated microsomes restored very high rates of NADPH oxidation, that were abolished by inhibiting NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase with p-hydroxymercuribenzoate. Since heart microsomes did not contain cytochrome P450, these results suggested that stimulation of NADPH oxidation was mediated by direct electron transfer from reductase to iron. Purified rat heart ferritin and hemosiderin did not stimulate NADPH oxidation and the stimulation observed with detergent-solubilized microsomal iron was much higher than that observed with EDTA-Fe3+, a very effective electron acceptor for the reductase. This suggested that (i) microsomal iron was different from other intracellular iron-storage proteins, and (ii) microsomal iron was unusually permissive to one-electron transfer from reductase.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Effect of t-butyl hydroperoxide on liver microsomal membranes and microsomal calcium sequestration.

In vitro exposure of hepatocytes or liver microsomes to t-butyl hydroperoxide resulted in a marked decrease of liver microsomal calcium pump activity. Decreased calcium pump activity was dependent upon both concentration and time. Liver microsomes could be protected from this effect by glutathione or dithiothreitol. In addition to decreased calcium pump activity, exposure of liver microsomes to t-butyl hydroperoxide produced a concentration-dependent aggregation of microsomal membrane protein as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Inhibition of microsomal calcium pump activity was observed when intact hepatocytes were incubated, in vitro, with t-butyl hydroperoxide. However, aggregation of microsomal membrane protein was not observed when hepatocytes were incubated with t-butyl hydroperoxide. The effects produced by exposure of liver microsomes to this compound do not appear to be a complete model of actions of the compound on intact cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Strain- and sex-related differences of acetohexamide reductase activities in liver microsomes and cytosol of rats: the Wistar-Imamichi strain lacks the male-specific microsomal enzyme activity.

A marked strain-related difference was observed among acetohexamide reductase activities in liver microsomes of male rats. The microsomal enzyme activities in the Fischer-344 (Fischer), Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Wistar strains were 2.58 +/- 0.50, 1.60 +/- 0.44 and 0.79 +/- 0.41 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively. The microsomal enzyme activities in these rat strains were much higher in males than in females, indicating that the microsomal enzyme is a male-specific enzyme. The Wistar-Imamichi (Wistar-IM) strain was found to lack the male-specific microsomal enzyme activity. In Fischer, SD and Wistar strains of testectomized male rats, the microsomal enzyme activities were significantly increased by the treatment with testosterone. However, testosterone treatment was ineffective on the microsomal enzyme activity in the Wistar-IM strain. These results suggest that Wistar-IM rats has a genetic deficiency of the microsomal enzyme. There was no strain-related difference among the cytosolic enzyme activities in male rats. The cytosolic enzyme activities in Fischer and Wistar rats were higher in females than in males.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗
PubMed1988

Effect of ovarian steroids on membrane ATPase activities in microsomes (microsomal fractions) from rat myometrium. Inhibition of a component of the Mg2+-activated ATPase by Ca2+-calmodulin and by oxytocin.

The activities of Mg2+-ATPase (Mg2+-activated ATPase), (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-activated ATPase and (Na+ + K+)-activated ATPase have been determined in microsomes (microsomal fractions) obtained from rat myometrium under different hormonal conditions. Animals were either ovariectomized and treated for a prolonged period of time with 17 beta-oestradiol or progesterone, or myometria were obtained at day 21 of pregnancy. In each case the endometrium was carefully removed. The Mg2+-ATPase consists of two components: an inactivating labile component and a second constant component. The rate of ATP hydrolysis by the labile component of the Mg2+-ATPase declines exponentially as a function of time after adding the membranes to the assay medium; this inactivation is caused by the presence of ATP in the medium. This ATPase activity inhibited by ATP is catalysed by a labile enzyme and hence it gradually diminishes within a few hours, even when the microsomes are kept on ice. This labile component has the highest activity in microsomes from pregnant rats, a lower activity in progesterone-treated rats, and the lowest in 17 beta-oestradiol-treated rats. This component of the Mg2+-ATPase is not affected by 90 nM-oxytocin. The constant component of the Mg2+-ATPase must be ascribed to a different enzyme, which, in contrast with the labile component, is very stable and not affected by the hormonal status of the animal. This constant component of the Mg2+-ATPase is inhibited both by Ca2+-calmodulin, and by oxytocin in microsomes from pregnant and from progesterone-treated animals, whereas such inhibition does not occur in microsomes from 17 beta-oestradiol-treated animals. The activity of the (Na+ + K+)-activated ATPase is not dependent on the hormonal status of the animal. Myometrial microsomes present an ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport, irrespective of the hormonal condition, but only in microsomes obtained from rats treated with 17 beta-oestradiol, can a (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-activated ATPase activity be demonstrated. This activity can be stimulated by calmodulin.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Microsomal protein mediates a pH-dependent fusion of liposomes to rat brain microsomes.

The fusion between rat brain microsomes and liposomes is investigated by measuring the release of octadecylrhodamine B (R18) fluorescence self-quenching. In the experimental conditions used in this work, the method allows a rapid and quantitative evaluation of the mixing of microsome and liposome lipid phases. The decrease of pH below 7 produces an extensive fusion between microsomes and acidic phospholipid liposomes. Microsomal protein is necessary for fusion, which is inactivated by exposure of microsomes to pronase. Therefore, H(+)-induced fusion differs from Ca(2+)-induced fusion since the latter does not require microsomal protein. The pretreatment of microsomes with trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) in nonpenetrating conditions does not affect the extent of fusion. On the other hand, N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ), a reagent able to react with carboxyl groups, causes an extensive inactivation of fusion. Therefore, the H(+)-induced fusion described here depends on some microsomal protein and may have physiological significance because it occurs at pH values present in the living cell. H(+)-dependent fusion can be also considered as a means to enrich membranes in some selected lipid.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Prediction of human clearance of twenty-nine drugs from hepatic microsomal intrinsic clearance data: An examination of in vitro half-life approach and nonspecific binding to microsomes.

Twenty-nine drugs of disparate structures and physicochemical properties were used in an examination of the capability of human liver microsomal lability data ("in vitro T(1/2)" approach) to be useful in the prediction of human clearance. Additionally, the potential importance of nonspecific binding to microsomes in the in vitro incubation milieu for the accurate prediction of human clearance was investigated. The compounds examined demonstrated a wide range of microsomal metabolic labilities with scaled intrinsic clearance values ranging from less than 0.5 ml/min/kg to 189 ml/min/kg. Microsomal binding was determined at microsomal protein concentrations used in the lability incubations. For the 29 compounds studied, unbound fractions in microsomes ranged from 0.11 to 1.0. Generally, basic compounds demonstrated the greatest extent of binding and neutral and acidic compounds the least extent of binding. In the projection of human clearance values, basic and neutral compounds were well predicted when all binding considerations (blood and microsome) were disregarded, however, including both binding considerations also yielded reasonable predictions. Including only blood binding yielded very poor projections of human clearance for these two types of compounds. However, for acidic compounds, disregarding all binding considerations yielded poor predictions of human clearance. It was generally most difficult to accurately predict clearance for this class of compounds; however the accuracy was best when all binding considerations were included. Overall, inclusion of both blood and microsome binding values gave the best agreement between in vivo clearance values and clearance values projected from in vitro intrinsic clearance data.

Atmospheric Pressure↗
PubMed1975

Studies of rat liver microsomal diglyceride acyltransferase and cholinephosphotransferase using microsomal-bound substrate: effects of high fructose intake.

Radiolabeled phosphatidate and diglyceride were prepared bound to rat liver microsomes. These compounds were used as substrates in studies of diglyceride acyltransferase, cholinephosphotransferase, and CTP:phosphatidic acid cytidylyltransferase. Optimum incubation conditions for these reactions in microsomes from normal male rats are described. High fructose diets were fed to rats for 11 days; this resulted in an increased rate of neutral lipid formation from sn-glycerol-3-phosphate by liver microsomal preparations. This was attributed, in part, to a previously reported increase in liver phosphatidate phosphatase activity. The significance of this increase is supported by the finding of a fall in microsomal phosphatidate content and a doubling in microsomal diglyceride. In addition, diglyceride acyltransferase measured with microsomal-bound diglyceride was increased twofold with no equivalent change in cholinephosphotransferase activity. Such a change should result in preferential triglyceride formation from the increased microsomal diglyceride pool. CTP:phosphatidic acid cytidylytransferase activity was depressed by the high fructose diet. These combined alterations would lead to an accelerated hepatic triglyceride formation, a result found in vivo during high fructose feeding. The high fructose diet decreased slightly the total microsomal phospholipid content and markedly depressed phosphatidylethanolamine levels.

Acyltransferases↗
PubMed1988

Oxidation of diethyldithiocarbamate to disulfiram by liver microsomes in the presence of NADPH and subsequent loss of microsomal enzyme activity in vitro.

Oxidation of diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC) to disulfiram (DS) by liver microsomes was tested in vitro by using a copper-DTC chelate formation reaction after the conversion of DS to DTC by glutathione (GSH). In the presence of NADPH, microsomes produced DS from DTC in both the free and microsome-bound forms, the former being greater than the latter. DS production was dependent on NADPH and DTC concentrations, and incubation time. Increases in microsomal concentrations, up to a certain level, also increased the free and total DS production. NADH was only somewhat effective, both the exposure to a nitrogen atmosphere and heat-denaturation of the microsomes suppressed the reaction. Preincubation of microsomes with both DTC and NADPH markedly decreased aniline hydroxylase, p-nitroanisole O-demethylase and glucose-6-phosphatase activities, and moderately decreased NADH-ferricyanide and NADH-cytochrome c reductase, but NADPH-cytochrome c reductase was minimally affected. DTC alone had only slight effects on the activities. DS also decreased these enzyme activities, particularly glucose-6-phosphatase; the loss of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity being protected in the presence of NADPH. GSH almost completely prevented the loss of microsomal enzyme activities induced by DTC and NADPH except for the drug metabolizing activities, in which protection was incomplete. The microsomal oxidation of DTC to DS could play a role in the action of DS in the liver, since DS is rapidly degradated to DTC in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene by brain microsomes of fetal and adult rats and mice. Induction by 5,6 benzoflavone, comparison with liver and lung microsomal activities.

Using brain, lung and liver microsomes as the enzyme source in in vitro assays, benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) metabolism was studied in fetuses and dams of mice (C57B1/6) and rats (WAG). Separation and quantitation of B[a]P metabolites were performed by h.p.l.c. Microsomal preparations were tested for cytochrome P-450 dependent O-dealkylation of 7-ethoxycoumarin and epoxide hydrolase activities. Another parameter measured included the conjugation of 1-chloro-2,4 dinitrobenzene to glutathione by cytosolic glutathione-S-transferase activity. The induction of B[a]P metabolism was studied after treatment of animals with 5,6-benzoflavone (BF). Mixed function oxygenase, epoxide hydrolase and glutathione-S-transferase activities were transplacentally inducible after dams were treated with BF. Metabolic activation of B[a]P by fetal brain microsomes was lower in both species than that by fetal lung and liver microsomes, but it was higher in fetuses than in adults. All metabolites of B[a]P increased after BF treatment; the production of 7,8-dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (7,8-dihydrodiol B[a]P) was higher in brain microsomes from BF-treated rats than that in mice. In stimulated rats, the formation of 7,8-dihydrodiol B[a]P by fetal brain microsomes were higher than that by fetal lung microsomes, whereas in mice, the opposite was observed. These data suggest that initiation could occur in utero, and partially explain the species-specific differences in susceptibility to transplacental tumorigenesis by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by differences in biotransformation in the target organ.

Animals↗