Toxicological Sciences, Vol 49, 40-47, Copyright © 1999 by Society of Toxicology
MJ Hoffmann, S Ji, CC Hedli and R Snyder
A previous report from this laboratory focused on the metabolism of
[14C]benzene (BZ) in the isolated, perfused, mouse liver (C. C. Hedli, et
al., 1997, Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 146, 60-68). Whereas administration of
BZ to mice results in bone marrow depression (R. Snyder et al., 1993, Res.
Commun. Chem. Pathol. Pharmacol. 20, 191- 194), administration of phenol
(P), the major metabolite of BZ, does not. It was, therefore, of interest
to determine whether the metabolic fate of P produced during BZ metabolism
differed from that of P metabolized in the absence of BZ. Mouse livers were
perfused with a solution of [14C]P in both the orthograde (portal vein to
central vein) and retrograde (central vein to portal vein) direction to
investigate the metabolic zonation of enzymes involved in P hydroxylation
and conjugation. Perfusate samples were collected, separated by HPLC, and
tested for radioactivity. Unconjugated metabolites were identified by
comparing their retention times with nonradiolabeled standards, which were
detected by UV absorption. Conjugated metabolites were identified and
collected on the basis of radiochromatogram results, hydrolyzed
enzymatically, and identified by co-chromatography with unlabeled BZ
metabolites. The objective was to compare and quantify the metabolites
formed during the perfusion of P in the orthograde and retrograde
directions and to compare the orthograde P-perfusion results with the
orthograde BZ results reported previously. Regardless of the direction of P
perfusion, the major compounds released from the liver were P.
phenylgucuronide, phenylsulfate, hydroquinone (HQ), and HQ glucuronide. A
comparison of the results of perfusing P in the orthograde versus the
retrograde direction showed that more P was recovered unchanged and more HQ
was formed during retrograde perfusion. The results suggest that enzymes
involved in P hydroxylation are generally closer to the central vein than
those involved in conjugation, and that during retrograde perfusion, P
metabolism may be limited by the sub-optimal conditions of perfusion.
Comparison of the orthograde perfusion studies of P and BZ revealed that a
larger percentage of the radioactivity released from the liver was
identified as unconjugated HQ after BZ perfusion than after P perfusion. In
addition, the amount of radioactivity covalently bound to liver
macromolecules was measured after each perfusion and determined to be
proportional to the amount of HQ and HQG detected in the perfusate samples.
ARTICLES
Metabolism of [14C]phenol in the isolated perfused mouse liver
Joint Graduate Program in Toxicology and Toxicology Division, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University/UMDNJ RWJ Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA.
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