The development of a panel of human cell lines expressing specific human cytochrome P450 cDNAs.

We have isolated a human cytochrome P450IIE1 cDNA. This cDNA was transfected to AHH-1 human lymphoblasts and recombinant cell lines were isolated. Two means of selection for the presence of the vector were used, resistance to histidinol and resistance to hygromycin. Histidinol selection was found to give higher vector copy number than hygromycin B selection. AHH-1 cells expressing the P450IIE1 cDNA were sensitive to the cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of exposure to DMN at concentrations of 10 to 30 ng/ml for 28 hours. This system is more sensitive to DMN than systems using hepatocyte mediated activation.