Berry_1977_Chem.Biol.Interact_18_129

Mouse epidermal homogenates contain an inducible aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) complex that catalyzes the formation of benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol from benzo(a)pyrene (BP) as assessed by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). 5,6-Benzoflavone (5,6-BF), 7,8-benzoflavone (7,8-BF) and 17-beta-estradiol decreased and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) enhanced oxidative metabolism of BP when added in vitro. Epoxide hydrase activity (hydration of benzo(a)pyrene-4,5-epoxide) (BP-4,5-epoxide) was enhanced by 17-beta-estradiol, 5,6-BF, and 7,8-BF. BHT exhibited no significant effect and 1,2-epoxy-3,3,3-trichloropropane (TCPO) inhibited hydrase activity. The capacity of epidermal homogenates to catalyze the covalent binding of BP to DNA indicated that addition of both 5,6-BF and 7,8-BF decreased binding. BHT and TCPO did not significantly affect DNA-binding.