Cytosolic epoxide hydrolase in humans: development and tissue distribution.

Cytosolic epoxide hydrolase activity was measured towards trans-stilbene oxide in 41 human adult livers, in 40 fetal livers, in 17 placentas and in fetal and adult lungs, kidneys and gut. The cytosolic epoxide hydrolase activity was measurable in all specimens investigated. The rate of formation of trans-stilbene glycol (pmol/min per mg protein, mean +/- SD) was 55.2 +/- 89.6 (fetal liver). 303.2 +/- 73.2 (adult liver) and 18.8 +/- 13.1 (placenta) In the fetal extrahepatic tissues, the cytosolic epoxide hydrolase activity was 70.0 +/- 9.4 (adrenals), 47.6 +/- 7.2 (gut), 69.4 +/- 22.5 (kidneys) and 43.2 +/- 19.2 (lungs) pmol/min per mg protein, whereas in the adult tissues it was 131.2 +/- 63.1 (kidneys), 27.8 +/- 20.3 (intestine), 8.5 +/- 2.8 (lungs) and 7.2 +/- 4.2 (urinary bladder) pmol/min per mg protein.