Enhancement of hepatic drug biotransformation rate by polychlorinated biphenyls in rats fed cholesterol-rich diet.

A combined effect of cholesterol and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on the microsomal drug hydroxylation and glucuronidation in the liver of the rat was studied. PCBs, Clophen A-50 and A-60, having an average chlorination degree of 50 and 60% affect the structure of microsomal membranes. It was found that Clophen A-60 increased the binding of trypsin- and digitonin-sensitive proteins to the membranes. Also it was found that PCBs enhanced the phsopholipid content of microsomes. PCBs increased the activity of hepatic NADPH cytochrome c reductase about 1.5-fold. Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity doubled with Clophen A-50 and quadrupled with Clophen A-60. Hepatic UDPglucuronosyltransferase activity was doubled with both PCBs. The enhancement in hepatic aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and in UDPglucuronosyltransferase was found to be lower in the presence of high cholesterol level in the diet when compared to earlier results. This is supposed to be due to the membraneous effects of cholesterol.