MUTAGENICITY AND METABOLISM OF DIMETHYLNITROSAMINE AND BENZO[ALPHA]PYRENE IN TISSUE-HOMOGENATES FROM INBRED SYRIAN-HAMSTERS TREATED WITH PHENOBARBITAL, 3-METHYLCHOLANTHRENE OR POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS

There are significant differences between mice and hamsters in polycyclic hydrocarbon and nitrosamine metabolism. Homogenates of liver, lung and intestinal mucosa from 6 strains of Syrian golden hamster were compared for their ability to metabolize benzo[α]pyrene (BP) and dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) to mutagens. Females of strains MHA/SsLak, LSH/SsLak, CB/SsLak, PD4/Lak LHC/Lak and Lak:LVG (SYR) were either untreated or received phenobarbital (PB), 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) or polychlorinated biphenyls (AR) to induce drug-metabolizing enzymes. Salmonella typhimurium TA92 and TA98 were used as indicators of the formation of mutagens. Dimethyl-nitrosamine demethylase (DMND) was assayed using 1 mM DMN as substrate. Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) was measured using benzo[α]pyrene as substrate. MC does not induce AHH activity in hamster liver, but is an excellent inducer of enzymes converting BP to mutagens. This lack of correlation between increased AHH activity and increased metabolism of BP to mutagen in liver is in marked contrast to correlations seen in mice. MC induces AHH in hamster lung and intestinal mucosa. AR induces AHH in liver, lung and intestinal mucosa. Activity of DMND in liver is not affected by treatment of hamsters with BP or AR, but is repressed approx. 30% by treatment with MC. © 1979.