[In vitro hepatic cytochrome P-450 destruction induced by 1,2-dichloroethylene].

An estimation of the rate of 1,2-DCE metabolism by the hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 system was obtained by monitoring the oxidation of NADPH at 340 nm. During such a metabolism, cytochrome P-450 from PB-pretreated male mice is destroyed in vitro in presence of NADPH, after 30 minutes of incubation at 37 degrees C by 1,2-DCE. The NADPH-request suggests that oxidative metabolism of this olefin by cytochrome P-450 is necessary for the observed destruction. The loss of cyt.P-450 could be attributed to heme destruction, as the destructive interaction is always accompanied by a correlated loss of microsomal heme.