Sex dependent effect of chronic ethanol consumption in rats on hepatic microsome mediated mutagenicity of benzo[ a]pyrene

The effect of chronic ethanol consumption by rats on hepatic microsomal metabolism of the procarcinogen benzo[ a]pyrene (B[ a]P) was investigated both with respect to induction of microsomal arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity and activation of B[ a]P to a mutagen. In female rats, chronic ethanol ingestion produced a 42% increase in AHH activity ( P < 0.01), as measured in isolated microsomes, and also resulted in a significantly enhanced capacity ( P < 0.01) of these microsomes to activate B[ a]P to a mutagen detectable in the Ames bacterial mutagenesis assay. Hepatic microsomes from male rats on the other hand did not exhibit any significant differences, either in AHH activity or in their capacity to activate B[ a]P to a mutagen after chronic ethanol feeding.