Publisher Summary This chapter provides information on the metabolism and the biological activities of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Three types of products—dihydrodiols, glutathione conjugates, and phenols—have been found as the metabolites of aromatic hydrocarbons in tissue preparations. Oxidative metabolism at the double bonds of aromatic substrates leads to the formation of epoxides. Epoxide metabolites are responsible for many of the biological effects that have been attributed to the parent hydrocarbons. The chapter discusses the role of intermediates such as free radicals, radical cations, and carbonium ions in polycyclic hydrocarbon carcinogenesis. It also discusses the factors that can influence the formation, further metabolism, and biological effectiveness of polycyclic hydrocarbon epoxides. Epoxides may prove to be biologically important derivatives that are formed from polycyclic hydrocarbons by microsomal metabolism; alternatively, they may not. The exact molecular mechanism that leads to the initiation of malignancy by hydrocarbons remains obscure, although strong suspicions persist that somatic mutations induced by metabolites are involved.

Epoxides in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolism and carcinogenesis.

Sex-related differences in drug metabolism

Reconstituted liver microsomal enzyme system that hydroxylates drugs, other foreign compounds, and endogenous substrates. II. Role of the cytochrome P-450 and P-448 fractions in drug and steroid hydroxylations.

A reliable, sensitive, and convenient radioactive assay for benzpyrene monooxygenase.

Reconstituted Liver Microsomal Enzyme System That Hydroxylates Drugs, Other Foreign Compounds, and Endogenous Substrates VI. DIFFERENT SUBSTRATE SPECIFICITIES OF THE CYTOCHROME P450 FRACTIONS FROM CONTROL AND PHENOBARBITAL-TREATED RATS

Hjördis Thor

Papers

A Comparative study on the effects of phenobarbital and 3,4-benzpyrene on the hydroxylating enzyme system of rat-liver microsomes