Quantitative correlation between the metabolism and the mutagenic activity of N-nitrosopyrrolidine.

The metabolism of N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPyrr) via alpha-hydroxylation is modified by pretreatments of the animals with compounds which affect the microsomal level of cytochrome P-450 and by addition, in vitro, of 2-diethylaminoethyl-2,2-diphenyl valerate hydrochloride (SKF 525-A), an inhibitor of cytochrome P-450. This phenomenon is due exclusively to the induction or the inhibition of the enzymatic activity involved in the microsomal metabolism. After preincubation in liquid medium, the mutagenic activity of NPyrr towards the Salmonella typhimurium strain TA 1530 is similarly modified by these effectors. A similar effect is not observed when using the plate incorporation method. The mutagenic intermediate is formed by the microsomal fraction. The presence of the S. typhimurium strain TA 1530 decrease the transformation of NPyrr into its ultimate metabolite (1,4-butanediol); there is a relationship between the formation of 1,4-butanediol and the mutagenic activity of NPyrr. The S. typhimurium strain TA 1530 is able to partially transform 4-hydroxybutanal, the first identifiable microsomal metabolite of NPyrr, into its ultimate metabolite (1,4-butanediol).