Factors affecting the bioavailability of benzo[a]pyrene from oils in mouse skin: oil viscosity, grooming, activity and its prevention.

In the main study, tritium-labelled benzo[a]pyrene ([3H]BaP) was added to oils of a wide range of viscosity (from 13.5 to ca. 8000 cSt at 40 degrees C) and these were applied once to mouse skin under conditions where grooming was either allowed or prevented. The binding of [3H]BaP to epidermal protein and DNA was assessed. In addition, some studies were conducted to investigate the effect of prior oil exposure on binding levels and to compare binding levels following single and multiple application. It was found in the main study that the binding of [3H]BaP to both DNA and protein was increased as the viscosity of the oil vehicle decreased. Whereas only a twofold difference in DNA binding was found between the lowest and highest viscosity oil vehicle if grooming was allowed, a 14-fold difference was seen if grooming was prevented. This was due to much higher binding levels with low viscosity oils when grooming was prevented. Protein binding showed similar results, although the difference between the grooming and non-grooming situations was slightly less. Whether grooming was prevented or not, both DNA and protein binding of [3H]BaP were found to be inversely proportional to the logarithm of viscosity of the oil vehicle, but when grooming was prevented, the slope for DNA binding was 10 times steeper than when it was permitted. Exposure of the skin to either high or low viscosity oils prior to the application of [3H]BaP in the same oil inhibited the binding to DNA but not to protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)