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High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography Analysis of Benzo(a)pyrene Metabolism by Microsomal Enzymes from Rhesus Liver and Lung

Battelle Columbus Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio 43201

The metabolism of benzo(a)pyrene was determined, using rhesus monkey hepatic and pulmonary microsomal enzymes. Metabolites were separated by high-pressure liquid chromatography and identified using known reference standards. Metabolites were quantitated by scintillation spectrometry. Both liver and lung microsomes metabolized benzo(a)pyrene to the following metabolites: 9,10-, 7,8-, and 4,5-dihydrodihydroxybenzo(a)pyrene; benzo(a)pyrene-1,6-dione, -3,6-dione, and -6,12-dione; and 9- and 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene. Two unidentified metabolites and one metabolite region which chromatographed prior to 9,10-dihydrodihydroxybenzo(a)pyrene were produced by both liver and lung microsomes. The two unknown peaks were located between 9,10- and 4,5-dihydrodihydroxybenzo(a)pyrene. Two additional unknown metabolites were produced only in the liver and had retention times slightly greater than the 4,5- and 7,8-dihydrodihydroxybenzo(a)pyrene metabolites, respectively.

Quantitative determination of benzo(a)pyrene metabolism revealed large differences for the three monkeys and the respective tissue activities. Liver activity for each animal was substantially higher than lung activity for all benzo(a)pyrene metabolites. The ratio of the metabolites also differed between the liver and lung. 3-Hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene represented over 60% of the total liver metabolite fraction and 30% of the total lung metabolite fraction. The total quinone fraction represented between 7 and 13% of the total metabolites in the liver and comprised over 40% of the total lung metabolites. The metabolite ratios for the dihydrodiols were very similar for both tissues.

¹ To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 8/ 2/76. Accepted 10/18/76.