N-Acetylation of drugs. A genetically controlled reciprocal relationship between drug N-acetylating enzymes of rabbit liver and peripheral blood cells.

The reciprocal relation between liver isoniazid N-acetyltransferase and blood p-aminobenzoic and N-acetyltransferase previously reported is confirmed and found to be expressed in erythrocytes and lymphocytes of genetically rapid and slow isoniazid-acetylator rabbits. Both erythrocytes and lymphocytes from slow acetylator rabbits contained 2.5-3.3 times as much p-aminobenzoic acid N-acetyltransferase activity as the same cells from rapid acetylator rabbits. Mechanisms which might account for the reciprocal association between liver and blood N-acetyltransferases are considered.