SMOKING AND PERIPHERAL TYPE OF CANCER ARE RELATED TO HIGH-LEVELS OF PULMONARY CYTOCHROME-P450IA IN LUNG-CANCER PATIENTS

A specific member of the cytochrome P450 superfamily of enzymes, designated P4501A (including 2 isozymes, P4501A1 and P4501A2), which is involved in the metabolic activation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and aromatic amines, was studied in lung tissue from 25 lung cancer patients by immunohistochemistry. The pulmonary activity of a P4501A1-dependent enzyme, aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH), from the same patients was also measured. Cytochrome P4501A was localized principally in the peripheral airways in alveolar epithelium of types I and II and in ciliated columnar and cuboidal bronchiolar epithelium. The amount of P4501A in the bronchial wall was minimal and was localized mainly in the capillary endothelium and the epithelium of the bronchial glands. Smoking was the most important factor related to the presence of P4501A and the AHH activity in lung tissue. None of the 10 ex-smokers, but all except 1 of the current smokers had detectable levels of P4501A. The localization of the cancer was also correlated with the presence of cytochrome P4501A. Peripheral lung tissue stained positively in all patients with a peripheral adenocarcinoma who currently smoked (8/8) but in less than half of those with a bronchial cancer who were smokers (3/7). Our data suggest that the smokers who have an inducible cytochrome P4501A are especially at increased risk of developing lung cancer of the peripheral adenocarcinomatous type.