Metabolism of benzo[A]pyrene and the related enzyme activities in hamster embryo cells.

The rate of metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene (BP) and changes in related enzyme activities in cultured hamster embryo cells during successive subculture were studied. The activity of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) was the highest when embryo cells were first dispersed in tissue culture flasks and decreased during subsequent passages. On the other hand, UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity increased gradually during successive subculture. Treatment of the cells with 13 nmol/ml of benz[a]anthracene (BA) for 24 h increased the activity of AHH but not that of UDP-glucuronyl transferase. The metabolism of BP was measured in cells of the passages 1, 3 and 7; metabolism of BP was most efficient in cells in passage 3 and their formation of glucuronic acid conjugates of BP, one of the major metabolites found in the medium, was 3- and 10-fold more than those of cells in passages 1 and 7, respectively. Analysis of BP-metabolites extracted from the medium with ethylacetate showed that the main metabolites were 9,10-diol and 7,8-diol. Phenols and quinones were released by treatment of the medium with beta- glucuronidase and their amounts were larger than those of diols at all passages. These results show that in hamster embryo cells in early passage, BP is metabolized to conjugates of phenols with glucuronic acid.