Metabolic activation of Trp-P-2, a tryptophan-pyrolysis mutagen by isolated rat hepatocytes

Metabolic activation of a tryptophan-pyrolysis product, 3-amino-1-methyl-5 H-pyrido[4.3- b]indole (Trp-P-2), by isolated rat hepatocytes was studied. The substrate (Trp-P-2) disappearance by hepatocytes from untreated rats was slow. but enhanced by 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) pretreatment of rats. The covalent binding of Trp-P-2 to cellular macromolecules was detected in hepatocytes from untreated rats. The amount of covalent binding of Trp-P-2 to protein and RNA was greater than that to DNA. The covalent binding to Trp-P-2 to DNA. RNA and protein in hepatocytes from untreated rats was about 5–10 times less than that in hepatocytes from MC-pretreated rats. 7.8-Benzoflavone strongly inhibited the substrate disappearance and the binding of Trp-P-2 to DNA in hepatocytes from MC-pretreated rats. These results indicate that Trp-P-2 is metabolically activated by the P-448 type of cytochrome P-450 which is induced by MC. Diethylmaleate enhanced by about 50% the binding of Trp-P-2 to DNA in hepatocytes from MC-pretreated rats. On the other hand. cysteine inhibited the binding of Trp-P-2 to DNA with a concomitant reduction in the accumulation of the active metabolite. N-hydroxy-Trp-P-2 ( N-OH-Trp-P-2). Sulfhydryl compounds seemed to play important roles in the detoxification of Trp-P-2.