Abstract

The rat and hamster exhibit about a 100-fold difference in sensitivity to the acute toxicity of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), with the hamster representing the most resistant species examined to date. The present study compared the induction and inhibition of hepatic TCDD metabolism in these species using suspensions of isolated hepatocytes. Purified 14C-TCDD or 3H-TCDD (2.2 microM) was incubated for 2-6 hr with hepatocytes isolated from untreated, TCDD-pretreated (5 micrograms/kg, ip), 3-methylcholanthrene-pretreated (3-MC, 50 mg/kg, ip, x 3 days), isosafrole-pretreated (ISO, 150 mg/kg, ip, x 3 days), or phenobarbital-pretreated (PB, 80 mg/kg, ip, x 3 days) rats and hamsters. Untreated rat and hamster hepatocytes metabolized TCDD at a similar rate (0.20 and 0.18 pmol/hr/mg, respectively). In both species, TCDD and 3-MC pretreatments elevated the rate of TCDD metabolism by 5-6-fold, while PB pretreatment had no effect. isosafrole modestly increased (1.8-2.5-fold) TCDD metabolism in each species. Analysis by high performance liquid chromatography indicated similarities in the TCDD-metabolite profiles formed by hepatocytes from both species, with two major metabolite peaks detected following induction by TCDD and 3-MC. The in vitro metabolism of TCDD in hepatocytes from TCDD-pretreated rats and hamsters was inhibited by 7,8-benzoflavone (100 microM), but not by metyrapone (100 microM). The effect of these cytochrome P-450 inducers and inhibitors on the metabolism of 3H-benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) in rat hepatocytes was similar to their effect on TCDD metabolism. However, marked differences were observed in their effects on the metabolism of BaP and TCDD in hamster hepatocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)