Stereoselective hydroxylation at the aliphatic carbons of 7,8- and 9,10-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrenes by rat liver microsomes

Stereo-selectivity and regio-selectivity in the metabolism of 7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene by cytochrome P450, epoxide hydrolase and hepatic microsomes from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats

The active site of cytochrome P450 1A1 has been probed with the substrate 7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene using a purified, reconstituted system composed of cytochrome P450 1A1, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and lipid in the presence or absence of epoxide hydrolase. The turnover of the substrate was found to be 38 nmol/nmol of cytochrome P450/min. The metabolic products that were identified are: a phenolic 7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene (20-29%); 9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (17-28%); benzo[a]pyrene (12-19%); 7-hydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene (13-16%); 8-hydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene (7-15%); 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (7-15%); 4,5-epoxy-4,5,7,8-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (0-4%); and a triol of 7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (0-4%). 9,10-Epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene undergoes rapid hydrolysis to cis- and trans-9,10-dihydroxy-dihydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (2:1) by benzylic attack of water at C-10. Approximately 71% of the trans diols are derived from (+)-(9S,10R)-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene, indicating that cytochrome P450 1A1 has more than a 2:1 preference for selective epoxidation of an enantiotopic face of 7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene. This stereo-selectivity agrees with the postulated stereo-selectivity predicted by a previously described active site model for cytochrome P450 1A1. Epoxide hydrolase in pure form or in hepatic microsomes catalyzes the hydrolysis of 9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene, which is inhibited by 1,1,1-trichloropropane 2,3-oxide. The (+)-(9S,10R)-isomer of the epoxide is slightly preferred as a substrate over its enantiomer and is cleaved by benzylic and nonbenzylic attack. Only benzylic attack was found with (-)-(9R,10S)-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene.

Quantitative analysis of the metabolism of 9,10-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene by induced rat liver microsomes

The ability of reduced polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to be converted to their fully aromatic forms by the microsomal cytochrome P-450 mixed-function oxidases may assist in the explanation of the mutagenic and tumorigenic activities of these agents. The metabolic conversion of 9,10-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene (9,10-DHB[a]P) to benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and 9- and/or 10-hydroxy-9,10-DHB[a]P (OH-9,10-DHB[a]P) was quantitatively measured. In beta-naphthoflavone-induced rat liver microsomes, 9,10-DHB[a]P was metabolized to B[a]P with a specific activity of 1.51 nmol B[a]P formed/min/mg microsomal protein. The formation of B[a]P was directly related to incubation time and microsomal protein concentration. Similarly, 9,10-DHB[a]P was converted to OH-9,10-DHB[a]P with a specific activity of 4.48 nmol OH-9,10-DHB[a]P formed/min/mg microsomal protein. Its formation was directly related to incubation time and microsomal protein concentration. The possibility of OH-9,10-DHB[a]P as a metabolic intermediate to B[a]P is discussed.

Direct separation of non-K-region mono-ol and diol enantiomers of phenanthrene, benz[a]anthracene, and chrysene by high-performance liquid chromatography with chiral stationary phases

The direct separation of 26 bay region and non-bay region mono-ol and diol enantiomers of phenanthrene, benz[a]anthracene, and chrysene was compared by high-performance liquid chromatography on commercially available columns, packed with gamma-aminopropylsilanized silica to which either (R)-N-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl)phenylglycine(R-DNBPG) or (S)-N-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl)leucine(S-DNBL) was either ionically or covalently bonded. In general, enantiomers of bay region mono-ols and diols are more efficiently resolved than those of non-bay region derivatives. Elution orders of enantiomers on either chiral stationary phase are the same, regardless of whether the chiral stationary phase is ionically or covalently bonded. Except for the enantiomers of 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenz[a]anthracene, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenz[a]anthracene trans-1,2-diol, and benz[a]anthracene trans-1,2-dihydrodiol, elution orders of resolved enantiomers on R-DNBPG are reversed on S-DNBL. The enantiomers are generally more efficiently resolved on R-DNBPG than on S-DNBL. With the exception of the elution order of the enantiomeric 4-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrochrysene, the results of this study are consistent with the chiral recognition mechanisms proposed by Pirkle and co-workers, who developed the chiral stationary phases used in this study.

Resolution of epoxide enantiomers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by chiral stationary-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Enantiomers of nine K-region and one non-K-region epoxides of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have been resolved by high-performance liquid chromatography with chiral stationary phases either ionically or covalently bonded to gamma-aminopropylsilanized silica. Resolution of enantiomers was confirmed by ultraviolet-visible absorption, circular dichroism, and mass spectral analyses. This method has been applied to the determination of optical purity and absolute configuration of the K-region epoxides formed in the metabolism of 1-methylbenz[a]anthracene, 7-methylbenz[a]anthracene, and 12-methylbenz[a]anthracene by rat liver microsomes.