Metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene on the nasal mucosa of Syrian hamsters: comparison to metabolism by other extrahepatic tissues and possible role of nasally produced metabolites in carcinogenesis.

The formation of metabolites of nasally instilled benzo[a]pyrene [(BP) CAS: 50-32-8] was determined. The study was prompted by a report that a high incidence of tumors occurred in tissues of the upper respiratory and alimentary tracts of Syrian hamsters exposed to BP aerosols. The esophagi of anesthetized hamsters were surgically catheterized so that radiolabeled material instilled as BP in the nose could be collected and analyzed for metabolites. About 50% of the instilled BP was metabolized in the nose and, potentially, would have been swallowed in an awake animal. In auxiliary experiments, homogenates of respiratory and alimentary tissues were tested for metabolic activity for BP. The nose, trachea, and lungs had about equally high activities on a per organ basis (5-7 nmol/hr), whereas all other tissues had considerably less activity. The results of the study indicate that nasal metabolism may be important in causing tumors in alimentary as well as upper respiratory tissues.