Activation of styrene to styrene oxide in hepatocytes and subcellular fractions of rat liver.

The oxidation of styrene to styrene oxide and the hydration of this metabolite to styrene glycol was investigated in hepatocytes, 9000 x g supernatant (S9) and the microsomal fraction from rat liver. Similar amounts of free styrene oxide were found in microsomes, hepatocytes and S9. However, on the basis of the formation of styrene glycol and the depletion of glutathione (GSH), it appeared that hepatocytes were the most active system in the metabolism of styrene, followed by S9 and microsomes.