Induction and suppression of hepatic and extrahepatic microsomal foreign-compound-metabolizing enzyme systems by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin

The effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin (TCDD) on a number of hepatic and extrahepatic foreign-compound-metabolizing enzyme systems in microsomes from rats, rabbits and guinea pigs were investigated. Following TCDD treatment, the N-demethylation of benzphetamine, aminopyrine and ethylmorphine was suppressed in hepatic microsomes from male but not from female rats. However, both cytochrome P-450 and benzpyrene hydroxylase were significantly stimulated in hepatic microsomes from both male and female rate at doses as small as 1 μg TCDD/kg body weight. The inductive effect on rat hepatic microsomal enzymes was considerably more persistent than the suppressive effect. Following a single oral dose of 25 μg TCDD/kg body weight, benzpyrene hydroxylase of male rat liver microsomes remained significantly elevated for 73 days but the suppression of benzphetamine N-demethylase had gone after 35 days. The induction of benzpyrene hydroxylase in male rat liver microsomes by TCDD was independent of the age of the rat and the levels to which this enzyme was increased was similar in male rats of all ages. However, the suppression of benzphetamine N-demethylase in male rat liver microsomes was age related: the suppression was seen only in adult animals and in the very young (10 days old) the enzyme was actually induced by TCDD. Inductive effects appeared in both smooth and rough-surfaced hepatic microsomes from male rats but the suppression of N-demethylidon occurred perhaps the derepression arises through the interaction of TCDD or metabolite of TCDD, with the operator gene itself.