In Vitro System for Studying Metabolism of Environmental Chemicals in Human Cells

Abstract

The objective of the project is to establish and use an in vitro system of intact hepatocytes from rodent and human liver to develop quantitative data on the metabolism of toxic chemicals that can be used in risk assessments. Currently, two different in vitro models are most frequently used for comparative metabolism studies-isolated hepatocytes and precision-cut liver slices. In the second year of the project, hepatocytes and liver slices from rat and human liver Were compared to determine their capability to metabolize chloroform and a model substrate, 7-ethoxycoumarin. The 7-ethoxycoumarin O- deethylation activity of hepatocytes was consistently higher than the activity measured with liver slices, when standardized by protein content of the two preparations. The metabolism of chloroform by hepatocytes isolated from male F344 rats was characterized by analyzing headspace and medium concentrations. The kinetic constants, estimated from the headspace data generated in these experiments, are K. = 34 nmol/flask and V max. = 24 pmol/min/106 cells. Headspace analysis was also useful for determining chloroform metabolism by liver slices. After addition of 3.6 nmol/flask, the rate of chloroform loss was 2.5 pmol/min/mg tissue.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 05, 1993
Accession Number
ADA273427

Entities

People

  • Carol E. Green

Organizations

  • SRI International

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Alkenes
  • Carbon Tetrachloride
  • Cells
  • Chemistry
  • Chlorinated Hydrocarbons
  • Chloroform
  • Chromatographic Analysis
  • Chromatographs
  • Halogenated Hydrocarbons
  • Hydrocarbons
  • Metabolism
  • Microsomes
  • Precision
  • Risk
  • Risk Analysis
  • Substrates

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Groundwater Contamination Remediation.
  • Immunology
  • Parasitology and Pharmacology of Malaria.