Metabolism of 2,5,2',5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB) was studied using liver microsomes of hamsters and two hamster P450 isoforms, CYP1A2 and 2A8. CYP2A8 catalyzed selectively 4-hydroxylation of 2,5,2',5-TCB at a rate of 21.7 pmol/min/nmol P450. In contrast, CYP1A2 showed no activity for hydroxylation of 2,5,2',5'-TCB. Immunological study revealed that rabbit antiserum against CYP2A8 almost completely inhibited the microsomal 4-hydroxylation but that against CYP1A2 did not. It was also shown that the induction pattern of CYP2A8 protein by P450 inducer was similar to that of the 4-hydroxylase activity in hamster liver microsomes. These results suggest that CYP2A8 plays a major role in the 4-hydroxylation of 2,5,2',5'-TCB in hamster liver.