Epidermal cell growth-dependent arylhydrocarbon-hydroxylase (AHH) activity in vitro.

Cytochrome P-450-dependent arylhydrocarbon-hydroxylase (AHH) activity and inducibility by benzanthracene (BA) was measured in cultured guinea pig and human epidermal cells. Basal AHH-activity (AHHb) in guinea pig epidermal cells was much higher than in human epidermal cells. AHHb in guinea pig epidermal cells was directly related to the labeling index and decreased to the original level between the 5th and 7th day of cell culturing. On the other hand, the induction-ratio of AHH reached its maximum level when the number of cells began to rise (proliferation phase) and remained high at day 7 of the cell culture. These results suggest a cell growth dependent activity and inducibility of carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes, such as AHH, in isolated epidermal cells.