No abstract

Metabolism, DNA adduction, and tumor induction by 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) were examined in cultured trout liver cells and in vivo in trout. Modulating CYP1A1 activity indicated this enzyme plays a significant role in metabolizing DMBA to water-soluble compounds in isolated trout liver cells. The major DMBA metabolites identified in trout liver cells were 10-, 11-, 8,9-, and 5,6-DMBA dihydrodiols, and DMBA, 2- or 3- or 4-phenol; 7-OH-methyl-12-methyl-benz(a)anthracene and 12-OH-methyl-7-methyl-benz(a)anthracene were minor metabolites. A very small amount of DMBA-3,4-dihydrodiol was detected, and polar metabolites, which did not migrate with any DMBA metabolite standards, were observed. Incubating trout hepatocytes with DMBA-3, 4-dihydrodiol produced three prominent, nonpolar adducts indistinguishable from those in mouse embryo cells. However, DMBA-DNA adducts, formed in trout in vivo or in trout liver cells exposed to DMBA, were predominantly more polar than those formed in mouse embryo fibroblasts, and levels of DMBA-DNA adducts formed in trout liver cells were not significantly altered by modulating CYP1A1 activity. No significant repair of DMBA-DNA adducts was detected in cultured trout liver cells over a 48-h period, supporting previous studies indicating that fish are less efficient than mammals in repairing polyaromatic hydrocarbon DNA adducts. Compared to animals receiving DMBA alone, beta-naphthoflavone pretreatment in vivo did not affect hepatic CYP1A1, DMBA-DNA adducts, nor hepatic tumor response; but did significantly reduce tumor response in two other target organs. These results collectively indicate that DMBA bioactivation to DNA-binding metabolites in trout liver cells and mouse embryo cells predominantly involve different metabolic pathways to form the DNA-binding intermediates.

No abstract

Abstract-Trichloroethylene (TRI), a common groundwater contaminant, is readily metabolized by mammals to produce chloral hydrate (CH), trichloroacetic acid (TCA), and trichloroethanol (TCOH). Cytochrome P450 (CYP) and other enzymes are responsible for formation of these metabolites, which are implicated in TRI's toxicity and carcinogenicity. To establish the validity of the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) as an alternate test species for TRI, we examined the metabolism of TRI and CH, as well as CYP expression, in medaka liver preparations. Trichloroethylene was incubated with medaka microsomal protein, and metabolites were extracted and analyzed using gas chromatography. Microsome-mediated metabolism of TRI was observed, and a K m value for TRI oxidation of 540 M and a V max value of 213 pmol/min·mg Ϫ1 protein were obtained. Conversion of TRI to CH, TCA, and TCOH was found with medaka hepatic subcellular fractions. In addition, a sex difference in hepatic microsomal TRI metabolism, specific CYP content, and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity was noted. The lower specific activity of preparations from the livers of female medaka is compensated for by increased total protein in the larger liver mass of the female. Immunochemical analysis showed that CYP1A was readily detectable in medaka liver, but CYP2E1 was present at very low levels. These data suggest that TRI metabolism in medaka liver preparations mimics that observed in mammalian systems and supports their use as an alternative test species in the evaluation of the toxicity of TRI.

Trichloroethylene (TRI), a common groundwater contaminant, is readily metabolized by mammals to produce chloral hydrate (CH), trichloroacetic acid (TCA), and trichloroethanol (TCOH). Cytochrome P450 (CYP) and other enzymes are responsible for formation of these metabolites, which are implicated in TRI's toxicity and carcinogenicity. To establish the validity of the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) as an alternate test species for TRI, we examined the metabolism of TRI and CH, as well as CYP expression, in medaka liver preparations. Trichloroethylene was incubated with medaka microsomal protein, and metabolites were extracted and analyzed using gas chromatography. Microsome‐mediated metabolism of TRI was observed, and a Km value for TRI oxidation of 540 μM and a Vmax value of 213 pmol/min·mg−1 protein were obtained. Conversion of TRI to CH, TCA, and TCOH was found with medaka hepatic subcellular fractions. In addition, a sex difference in hepatic microsomal TRI metabolism, specific CYP content, and ethoxyresorufin O‐deethylase activity was noted. The lower specific activity of preparations from the livers of female medaka is compensated for by increased total protein in the larger liver mass of the female. Immunochemical analysis showed that CYP1A was readily detectable in medaka liver, but CYP2E1 was present at very low levels. These data suggest that TRI metabolism in medaka liver preparations mimics that observed in mammalian systems and supports their use as an alternative test species in the evaluation of the toxicity of TRI.