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1-Hydroxypyrene glucuronide as the major aqueous pyrene metabolite in tissue and gut fluid from the marine deposit-feeding polychaete Nereis diversicolor.

Both 1-hydroxypyrene and 1-hydroxypyrene glucuronide are identified as the primary phase I and phase II metabolites of the four-ringed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pyrene in the marine deposit-feeding polychaete Nereis diversicolor. Identification of pyrene and primary metabolites was performed using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode-array detection and fluorescence detection (HPLC/DAD/F) and an ion-trap mass spectrometer for positive identification of 1-hydroxypyrene glucuronide. Besides 1-hydroxypyrene and 1-hydroxypyrene glucuronide, the HPLC/F trace of tissue samples from pyrene-exposed worms showed three additional low-intensity peaks that may be related to pyrene metabolism based on similar excitation/emission wavelengths. The peaks were all too low in intensity to be positively identified. Of the total PAH in tissue, 1-hydroxypyrene glucuronide, 1-hydroxypyrene, and pyrene constituted 73%, 2%, and 25% respectively. Gut elimination of metabolic products is supported by the identification of 1-hydroxypyrene and 1-hydroxypyrene glucuronide in both gut fluid and defecation water. Being the only phase I metabolite of pyrene, 1-hydroxypyrene becomes a useful marker for PAH exposure, and it may serve as a valuable model compound for assessing species-specific PAH metabolic capabilities.

Animals↗

Phytotoxicity assessment of phenanthrene, pyrene and their mixtures by a soil-based seedling emergence test.

Seedling emergence tests were conducted in a meadow brown soil using five plant species (i.e., Chinese cabbage, green onion, tomato, turnip and wheat) to determine the phytotoxicity of phenanthrene, pyrene and their mixtures. The soil was amended with up to 1000 mg/kg soil of phenanthrene or 600 mg/kg soil of pyrene. Seedling emergence and root growth were measured. The results indicated that root elongation was more sensitive than seedling emergence. Root length decreased with increasing phenanthrene or pyrene concentrations( p < or = 0.05). Phenanthrene was more phytotoxic than pyrene. The lowest observable adverse effect concentration (LOAEC) was 10 mg/kg for phenanthrene when tested with green onion, and 50 mg/kg for pyrene when tested with wheat. Among the five species, wheat was found to be the most sensitive. When amended jointly at or below their respective LOAEC, phenanthrene and pyrene produced a synergistic toxic effect.

Phenanthrenes↗

[Characteristics of binding and transport of benzo(a)pyrene by blood serum lipoproteins].

Binding and distribution of 3H-benzo[a]pyrene in lipoprotein fraction of rat blood serum were studied. The binding was enhanced in the row: LDL, VLDL, HDL, Kd lipoprotein-benzo[a]pyrene complexes had been calculated by means of tryptophan fluorescence quenching. It was found, that Kd value benzo[a]pyrene complexes with VLD was 1.5 x 10(-6) M, with LDL -6.6 x 10(-7) M and with HDL -4.2 x 10(-6) M. Radiolabeled benzo[a]pyrene uptake by rat organs and tissues was investigated after i.v. injection of benzo[a]pyrene-complexes with LP of different classes. High uptake activity was revealed for liver, adrenals and kidneys, whereas heart, spleen, thymus were characterized by low 3H-benzo[a]pyrene accumulation. Radioactivity distribution pattern was depended on the class of LP used for complexation. Ours data permit to evaluate the participation of lipoproteins in transport and metabolic pathways of xenobiotics in organism.

Animals↗

Percutaneous absorption of [14C]DDT and [14C]benzo[a]pyrene from soil.

The objective was to determine percutaneous absorption of DDT and benzo[a]pyrene in vitro and in vivo from soil into and through skin. Soil (Yolo County 65-California-57-8; 26% sand, 26% clay, 48% silt) was passed through 10-, 20-, and 48-mesh sieves. Soil then retained by 80-mesh was mixed with [14C]-labeled chemical at 10 ppm. Acetone solutions at 10 ppm were prepared for comparative analysis. Human cadaver skin was dermatomed to 500 microns and used in glass diffusion cells with human plasma as the receptor fluid (3 ml/hr flow rate) for a 24-hr skin application time. With acetone vehicle, DDT (18.1 +/- 13.4%) readily penetrated into human skin. Significantly less DDT (1.0 +/- 0.7%) penetrated into human skin from soil. DDT would not partition from human skin into human plasma in the receptor phase (less than 0.1%). With acetone vehicle, benzo[a]pyrene (23.7 +/- 9.7%) readily penetrated into human skin. Significantly less benzo[a]pyrene (1.4 +/- 0.9%) penetrated into human skin from soil. Benzo[a]pyrene would not partition from human skin into human plasma in the receptor phase (less than 0.1%). Substantivity (skin retention) was investigated by applying 14C-labeled chemical to human skin in vitro for only 25 min. After soap and water wash, 16.7 +/- 13.2% of DDT applied in acetone remained absorbed to skin. With soil only 0.25 +/- 0.11% of DDT remained absorbed to skin. After soap and water wash 5.1 +/- 2.1% of benzo[a]pyrene applied in acetone remained absorbed to skin. With soil only 0.14 +/- 0.13% of benzo[a]pyrene remained absorbed to skin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Absorption↗

Metabolism of 2-acetylaminofluorene and benzo(a)pyrene and activation of food-derived heterocyclic amine mutagens by human cytochromes P-450.

The human P-450 CYP1A1 gene and a P450IA2 complementary DNA have been expressed in Cos-1 cells and the expressed proteins were assayed for their capacity to metabolize the carcinogens 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF), benzo(a)pyrene, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline, 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline, 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) was determined. The expressed human P450IA1 and P450IA2 proteins, when run on a 7.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel, migrated with different mobilities, with the former displaying the lower molecular weight. In human liver microsomes from 18 subjects, only a protein band corresponding to P450IA2 was detectable. Cos-1 cell-expressed P450IA1 and P450IA2 were capable of N-hydroxylating AAF and these activities were inhibited by alpha-naphthoflavone. In human liver microsomes, a correlation of r = 0.76 (P less than 0.05; n = 18) was obtained between AAF N-hydroxylase activity and P450IA2 content. AAF N-hydroxylase activity of human liver microsomes was also strongly inhibited by alpha-naphthoflavone. Except in the case of PhIP, where both proteins exhibited similar activities, P450IA2 was at least an order of magnitude more efficient than P450IA1 in activating IQ, 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline, 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline, and 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline to mutagens as measured in the Ames test. Statistically significant correlations were obtained between IQ activation and P450IA2 content (r = 0.75, r2 = 0.56) and PhIP activation and P450IA2 content (r = 0.71, r2 = 0.5) in human liver microsomes. The activation of both IQ and PhIP by expressed proteins and human liver microsomes was strongly inhibited by alpha-naphthoflavone. The above data suggest a major role for P450IA2 in activation (N-hydroxylation) of aromatic amides and amines in human liver. When benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase activity was determined, only Cos-1 cell-expressed P450IA1 exhibited appreciable activity. While alpha-naphthoflavone inhibited Cos-1 cell-expressed P450IA1 benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase activity, it caused a marked stimulation of this activity in human liver microsomes, which lack P450IA1 protein. The lack of a role for P450IA proteins in benzo(a)pyrene metabolism is further supported by the poor correlation (r = 0.43, P greater than 0.05) between this activity and P450IA2 content of human liver microsomes. However, when P450IIIA3 content of the above human liver microsomes was determined by using the Western blot technique and correlated with benzo(a)pyrene metabolism, an r value of 0.70 (P less than 0.5) was obtained. These data suggest that human P450IIIA proteins are involved in benzo(a)pyrene metabolism.

2-Acetylaminofluorene↗

[Cytochrome P-450-dependent mechanisms of the biosynthesis of protein-conjugated benzo(a)pyrene antigens and their role in the development of a specific immune response to this carcinogen].

There was studied the possibility of covalent binding to proteins of a carcinogenic compound benzo(a)pyrene in the system of cytochrome P-450 of the liver and the possibility of the development of the immune reaction to administration of the conjugated antigens obtained in such a way to animals. It was shown that under experimental conditions modelling the processes of microsomal oxidation of benzo(a)pyrene in the organism there occurs irreversible binding of 14C-benzo(a)pyrene both to microsomes and the added albumin. Immunization of rabbits by conjugates benzo(a)pyrene-albumin and benzo(a)pyrene-microsomes leads to the development of the immune response to the original carcinogen. The antibodies and lymphocytes specifically binding 14C-benzo(a)pyrene appear in the blood.

Animals↗

Modifying effects of a single injection of phenobarbital on the inhibitory action of benzo(a)pyrene on 3H-thymidine incorporation into various organs of the mouse.

The effects of the procarcinogen benzo(a)pyrene and the enzyme inducer phenobarbital on the DNA turnover in various organs of male C57BL mice were evaluated by measuring the incorporation of [6-3H]thymidine. When injected intraperitoneally 48 h before sacrifice, benzo(a)pyrene (28.8 mg/kg body weight) inhibited the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into the spleen, thymus, testis, and small intestine. A corresponding analysis with phenobarbital sodium (75 mg/kg b.w.) revealed reduced incorporation of 3H-thymidine into the pancreas (after 24 h) and bone marrow (after 72 h). The effects of combining benzo(a)pyrene and phenobarbital was examined by injecting the latter agent either 24 h before or after the polycyclic hydrocarbon. A previous injection of phenobarbital resulted in a potentiation of the inhibitory action of benzo(a)pyrene in the spleen. However, when phenobarbital was given after benzo(a)pyrene, there was a five-fold increase of the 3H-thymidine incorporation into the liver in comparison to the controls given vehicle. The demonstration that a single injection of phenobarbital has modifying effects on the 3H-thymidine incorporation both when administered alone and in combination with benzo(a)pyrene indicates that enzyme inducers may influence the outcome in genotoxicity tests.

Animals↗

Effect of bile salts on rates of formation, accumulation, and export of mutagenic metabolites from benzo(a)pyrene produced by the perfused rat liver.

The effect of sodium taurocholate on the biliary export of stable mutagenic phenolic glucuronide metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene from livers of corn oil- or 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats was studied using a nonrecirculating perfusion system. Sterile bile samples were collected every 4 min and assayed for mutagens using the Ames Salmonella (Ta 98) test without addition of microsomes but containing beta-glucuronidase. Rates of export of mutagens produced from benzo(a)pyrene (20 microM) into the bile were stimulated 5-fold by the bile salt sodium taurocholate, concomitant with a 2- to 3-fold increase in bile flow. Steady-state rates of 60 and 90 revertants/g/h were observed in bile when 20 microM benzo(a)pyrene was infused into livers from corn oil or 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats, respectively. These rates of efflux were increased to 250 and 550 revertants/g/h by the addition of taurocholate. Rates of production of mutagenic phenolic metabolites which account for the mutagenic activity were determined by adding rates of efflux into bile and effluent perfusate with rates of accumulation of metabolites in the cell. In livers from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats, rates (8 min) of benzo(a)pyrene phenol formation averaged 300 nmol/g/h during the initial 20 min of perfusion but increased to 450 nmol/g/h after 1 h. The addition of taurocholate increased maximal rates of phenol efflux in the bile from 6 to 148 nmol/g/h and decreased rates of phenol accumulation in intracellular stores from 342 to 220. Rates of efflux into the vena cava effluent averaged 120 nmol/g/h and were not affected by taurocholate. Infusion of dehydrotaurocholate increased the appearance of metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene in the effluent perfusate but did not change rates of efflux into bile. Taurocholate doubled rates of output of phenolic metabolites into the effluent perfusate when bile flow was arrested by perfusion with calcium-free buffer. Thus, mutagenic glucuronides from benzo(a)pyrene phenols accumulated in hepatocytes much faster than rates at which they were exported. Total rates of production of phenolic glucuronides by the liver were not affected by bile salts; however, taurocholate stimulated their export into bile, while dehydrotaurocholate increased their concentration in the effluent perfusate. Both salts probably act by displacing metabolites from intracellular binding sites.

Animals↗

Metabolism and tumorigenicity of 7-, 8-, 9-, and 10-fluorobenzo(a)pyrenes.

The skin tumor-initiating activities of 7-, 8-, 9-, and 10-fluorobenzo(a)pyrenes have been compared to that of benzo(a)pyrene in female Sencar mice after 16 weeks of promotion with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Single initiating doses of 200 or 400 nmol of each hydrocarbon were tested, and the mice were treated twice weekly with 3.2 nmol of the promoter. Under these conditions, benzo(a)pyrene caused an average of 2.9 and 5.7 papillomas/mouse, respectively, whereas none of the four fluorinated hydrocarbons had significant tumor-initiating activity. Examination of the hepatic metabolism of 7- and 8-fluorobenzo(a)pyrene revealed that a 7,8-dihydrodiol was not detected as a metabolite; thus, the bay-region diol-epoxide pathway known to be responsible for the tumorigenic activity of benzo(a)pyrene is blocked. Although 7,8-dihydrodiols are formed from 9- and 10-fluorobenzo(a)pyrene, these dihydrodiols with fluorine substituted on the 9,10-double bond may not be converted to diol-epoxides by the cytochrome P-450 system, or such fluorinated 7,8-diol-9,10-epoxides may not be tumorigenic.

Animals↗

Linear dichroism properties and orientations of different ultraviolet transition moments of benzo[a]pyrene derivatives bound noncovalently and covalently to DNA.

Linear dichroism and absorption methods are used to study the orientations of transition moments of absorption bands of polycyclic aromatic epoxide derivatives which overlap with those of the DNA band in the 240-300 nm region. Both the short and long axes of the pyrene residues of 1-oxiranylpyrene (1-OP) and the (+) and (-) enantiomers of trans-7,8-dihydroxy-anti-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (BPDE) noncovalently bound to double-stranded native DNA are oriented approximately perpendicular to the axis of the DNA helix, consistent with intercalative modes of binding. The covalent binding of these three epoxide derivatives to DNA is accompanied by reorientations of both the short and long axes of the pyrene residues. Covalent adducts derived from the highly mutagenic (+)-anti-BPDE are characterized by tilts of the short axis within 35 degrees or less, and of the long axis by more than 60-80 degrees, with respect to the planes of the DNA bases. In the adducts derived from the binding of the less mutagenic (-)-anti-BPDE and 1-OP epoxide derivatives to DNA, the long axes of the pyrenyl rings are predominantly oriented within 25 degrees of the planes of the DNA bases; however, in the case of the (-) enantiomer of BPDE, there is significant heterogeneity of conformations. In the case of the 1-OP covalent DNA adducts, the short axis of the pyrene ring system is tilted away from the planes of the DNA bases, and the pyrene ring system is not intercalated between DNA base-pairs as in the noncovalent complexes. The stereochemical properties of the saturated 7,8,9,10-ring in BPDE, or the lack of the 7 and 8 carbon atoms in 1-OP, do not seem to affect noncovalent intercalative complex formation which, most likely, is influenced mainly by the flat pyrenyl residues. These structural features, however, strongly influence the conformations of the covalent adducts, which in turn may be responsible for the differences in the mutagenic activities of these molecules.

7,8-Dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo(a)pyrene 9,10-oxide↗

The binding of benzo(alpha)pyrene and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine to subnuclear fractions of AKR mouse embryo cells in culture.

The marked localization of a carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, benzo(alpha)pyrene, and its metabolites and a carcinogenic alkylating agent, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, to a specific subnuclear fraction (fraction I) from AKR-2B mouse embryo cells in culture is described. Fraction I is isolated by sucrose gradient centrifugation of sheared nuclei from cells exposed to the carcinogens. The association of tritiated benzo(alpha)-pyrene to fraction I consisted of loosely associated radioactivity which is extractable by organic solvents, and of tightly bound (termed "covalently" bound) radioactivity which is not extractable by organic solvents. Increases in the extent of metabolism of benzo(alpha)pyrene and in the amount of "covalently" bound radioactivity occur with increasing periods of incubation of the cells with the labelled carcinogen. This observation, together with the fact that these increases are dramatically reduced by inhibiting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolism (using the inhibitor 7,8-benzo-flavone), suggests that a time-dependent metabolism of benzo(alpha)pyrene is required for "covalent" binding to muclear material. Data are presented suggesting that a two-step reaction may be involved in the binding of benzo(alpha)pyrene to subnuclear macromolecules. The fraction I localization of such structurally diverse chemical carcinogens as benzo(alpha)pyrene and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine suggests that this fraction may localize all species of chemical carcinogens and that this localization may be involved in the chemically induced malignant transformation of cells.

Animals↗

Binding of benzo(a)pyrene metabolites to cellular DNA in perfused rat lungs.

The influence of pretreatment with monooxygenase inducers on total irreversible binding of metabolically activated [3H]-benzo(a)pyrene to cellular DNA and the formation of benzo(a)pyrene metabolite-deoxyribonucleoside adducts after cytochrome P-448 induction was studied in perfused rat lungs. Pretreatment with the cytochrome P-448 inducer beta-naphthoflavone increasing binding by a factor of 23. In lungs of induced animals, 0.45 pmoles of benzo(a)pyrene equivalents were bound per mg DNA. Binding to RNA and to protein was also considerably induced by beta-naphthoflavone. Phenobarbital treatment did not significantly increase binding to cellular macromolecules of rat lung. Analysis of hydrolyzed DNA of lungs from beta-naphthoflavone-treated rats by Sephadex LH 20 chromatography revealed the formation of at least two nucleoside adducts with metabolically activated benzo(a)pyrene one of which is probably due to modification of the DNA with a benzo(a)pyrene-7, 8-dihydrodiol-9, 10-epoxide and the other to modification of DNA with secondary metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene phenols.

Animals↗

Inhibitory effect of alpha-tocopherol on benzo(a)pyrene-induced CYPA1 activity in rat liver.

Combined treatment with benzo(a)pyrene (classic inductor of cytochromes P450 of subfamily 1A, CYPA1 and CYP1A2) and alpha-tocopherol decreased benzo(a)pyrene-induced CYP1A1 activity in rat liver. Activities of CYP1A2, NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase, and glutathione S-transferase remained unchanged under these conditions. Addition of alpha-tocopherol to benzo(a)pyrene-induced microsomes in vitro decreased activity of CYP1A1. Immunoblotting of proteins in liver microsomes with antibodies against CYP1A1 did not reveal differences in CYP1A1 protein content in the liver of rats receiving benzo(a)pyrene alone or in combination with alpha-tocopherol. The in vivo decrease in benzo(a)pyrene-induced CYP1A1 activity did not result from free radical-produced damage to CYP1A1. The inhibition of benzo(a)pyrene-induced CYP1A1 activity with alpha-tocopherol is probably realized at the posttranslational level.

Animals↗

Repair of daughter strand gaps in nascent DNA from mouse epidermal cells treated with dihydrodiol epoxide derivatives of benzo[a]pyrene.

Alkaline sucrose gradient analysis of [methyl-3H]thymidine-pulse-labeled DNA was used to study the effect of (+/-)-7 beta,8 alpha-dihydroxy-9 alpha,10 alpha-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (benzo[a]pyrene-diol epoxide I), a potent mutagen and carcinogen, and (+/-)-7 beta,8 alpha-dihydroxy-9 beta,10 beta-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (benzo[a]pyrene-diol epoxide II), a weaker mutagen and carcinogen, on the size of newly synthesized DNA in primary cultures of mouse epidermal cells. Both isomers caused a dose-dependent decrease in the size of newly synthesized DNA and in the rate of [methyl-3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA. When the pulse time was increased in the treated cells so that the amount of [methyl-3H]thymidine incorporation was equal to the control, newly synthesized DNA from exposed cells was still considerably smaller than DNA from control cells. The low molecular weight of the nascent DNA from treated cells was consistent with, but not indicative of, the presence of gaps in the nascent DNA from the treated cells. Evidence of gapped DNA synthesis was obtained by treatment of extracted DNA with a single-strand specific endonuclease from Neurospora crassa. The endonuclease treatment did not significantly alter the profile of [methyl-3H]thymidine prelabeled DNA from benzo[a]pyrene-diol epoxide-treated cultures but did introduce double-stand breaks in pulse-labeled DNA from treated cultures. The numbers of [14C]benzo[a]pyrene-diol epoxide I or [3H]benzo[a]pyrenediol epoxide II-DNA-bound adducts and daughter strand gaps were compared at several dose levels. Treatment with either isomer yielded one gap in the nascent DNA/DNA-bound adduct. Pulse-chase experiments showed that gaps in the nascent DNA were closed with time.

Animals↗

Stereoselective hydroxylation at the aliphatic carbons of 7,8- and 9,10-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrenes by rat liver microsomes.

Optically active 7-hydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene and 8-hydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene were identified as two of the major metabolites formed by incubation of 7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene with rat liver microsomes. Optically active 9-hydroxy-9,10-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene and 10-hydroxy-9,10-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene were similarly identified as two of the minor metabolites of 9,10-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene. The formation of these metabolites was abolished either by prior treatment of liver microsomes with carbon monoxide or the absence of NADPH, but was not inhibited by an epoxide hydrolase inhibitor. The results indicate that the aliphatic carbons of dihydro polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons may undergo stereoselective hydroxylation reactions catalyzed by the cytochrome P-450 system of rat liver microsomes.

Animals↗

Benzo[a]pyrene-hydroxylase catalyzed by purified isozymes of cytochrome P-450 from beta-naphthoflavone-fed rainbow trout.

We have purified five isozymes of liver microsomal (LM) P-450 from beta-naphthoflavone-fed rainbow trout. Four forms (LM3, LM1, LM4a and LMx) were resolved on DEAE-Sepharose. Chromatography on hydroxylapatite further resolved LMx into two components, LM2 and LM4b. This latter form, obtained in highest yield (5%), had an apparent minimum molecular weight (Mr), as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), of 58,000, a specific content of 11.9 nmoles/mg, a lambda max in the carbon monoxide-ligated, reduced difference spectrum of 447.0 nm, and was active towards benzo[a]pyrene in a reconstituted system. A second form, LM4a, obtained in a final yield of 2%, had a specific content of 10.3 and was indistinguishable from Lm4b by Mr, lambda max, or activity towards benzo[a]pyrene. Form LM2 (2% yield) had a specific content of 10.8, a Mr of 54,000, a lambda max of 449.5 nm, and was not effective in reconstitution of benzo[a]pyrene-hydroxylase. In addition, two other forms with lower specific contents were obtained, LM1 and LM3. Neither LM1 nor LM3 was active towards benzo[a]pyrene. The properties of LM2, LM4a and LM4b were further examined with the aid of antibodies prepared from rabbits. Antibodies to LM4a and LM4b each cross-reacted with the other antigen and formed lines of identity on Ouchterlony plates, and both IgGs exhibited some cross-reaction to P-448 from rat. Neither antibody cross-reacted with trout LM2, and LM2-IgG did not cross-react with any other purified P-450. Benzo[a]pyrene-hydroxylase, catalyzed by either LM4a or LM4b, was inhibited by LM4b-IgG but not by LM4a-IgG, suggesting that these antibodies recognize different antigenic sites. Further comparison of LM4a and LM4b by amino acid composition, peptide mapping, kinetic properties, sensitivity to alpha-naphthoflavone, and regioselectivity towards benzo[a]pyrene-dihydrodiol formation indicates that these forms are highly similar in structure and function.

Amino Acids↗

The formation of dihydrodiols from benzo[alpha]pyrene by oxidation with an ascorbic acid/ferrous sulphate/EDTA system.

In the oxidation of benzo[alpha]pyrene in an abscorbic acid-ferrous sulphate-EDTA system, four dihydrodiols were detected. Three, trans-4,5-dihydro-4,5-dihydroxybenzo[alpha]pyrene, trans-7,8-dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo[alpha]pyrene and trans-9,10-dihydro-9,10-dihydroxybenzo[alpha]pyrene were identified by their UV spectra and by direct comparisons of their chromatographic properties, using HPLC, with those of the authentic compounds. The fourth compound appeared to be trans-11,12-dihydro-11,12-dihydroxybenzo[alpha]pyrene since its ultraviolet spectrum was identical to that of the cis-dihydrodiol. Time-course experiments showed that the maximum amounts of products were obtained after 8 h of oxidation. A re-examination of the dihydrodiols formed from benzo[alpha]pyrene by rat-liver microsomal fractions failed to show the formation of the trans-11,12-dihydrodiol.

Animals↗

Analysis of cellular heterogeneity in the response of human leukemic cells to photosensitization induced by pyrene-containing fatty acid.

Incubation of cells with 12-(1-pyrene) dodecanoic acid (P12) followed by irradiation with ultraviolet light at 366 nm (UVA) resulted in cytotoxicity. We compared the photosensitivity to UVA irradiation of various human myelo-monocytic leukemic cell lines, their intra- and inter-clonal variability and correlated their photosensitivity to P12-uptake and metabolism. The fluorescence properties of pyrene were utilized for flow cytometric analysis of cell distribution with respect to P12-uptake as well as for sorting subpopulations differing in their fluorescence. Spectrofluorometric analysis of the total cell-associated fluorescence and of the cellular lipids-associated fluorescence were also carried out. Considerable heterogeneity in P12-uptake and photosensitivity was found not only among cell lines, but also in the response of different clones and among the individual cells in specific clonal populations. Within a clone, photosensitivity was related to the amount of P12 taken up by the individual cells, while among different cell lines and their clones the photosensitivity was correlated with the proportion of cellular pyrene-linked phospholipids. The larger the fraction of pyrene-linked phospholipids within the cell--the more sensitive it was to UVA-irradiation. Photosensitivity could be affected by changing the proportion of cellular pyrene-linked phospholipids. Cells treated with cAMP showed an increase in total P12-uptake, but the proportion of pyrene-linked phospholipids was reduced, resulting in lower photosensitivity. These findings, demonstrating that by manipulating lipid metabolism photosensitivity can be modified, may prove useful in a clinical setting for selective photosensitization of malignant cells.

Cell Survival↗