Effects of citrus phytochemicals on liver and lung cytochrome P450 activity and on the in vitro metabolism of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine NNK.

NNK is a potent environmental carcinogen to which both smokers and nonsmokers are exposed. The response to NNK may be affected by factors including nutrition. We investigated the effects of five citrus phytochemicals on the in vitro metabolism of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine NNK and on the dealkylation of methoxyresorufin (MROD) and pentoxyresorufin (PROD) in liver and lung microsomes of the Syrian golden hamster. In the NNK metabolism experiments in vitro incubations contained 3 microCi [5-H3] NNK, 0.5 mg microsomal protein and 0.5 mumole of the citrus phytochemical diosmin, naringin, naringenin, quercetin or rutin. In the dealkylation studies incubations contained 0.5 microM methoxyresorufin or pentoxyresorufin, 0.5 mg microsomal protein and 0.5 mumole of citrus phytochemical. The major NNK metabolism pathway in hamster liver microsomes was NNK-reduction while in lung microsomes it was alpha-hydroxylation. The alpha-hydroxylation pathway produces metabolic products that methylate and pyridyloxobutylate DNA. Naringenin, a metabolite of naringin, and quercetin were the most potent inhibitors of alpha-hydroxylation of NNK in both liver and lung microsomes. This inhibition correlated with a potent inhibition of MROD and PROD activity in liver but not in lung microsomes. The metabolic activation of NNK is associated with cytochrome P450 isoforms 1A1, 1A2, 2B1, 2D6 and 2E1. Our results suggest that naringenin and quercetin from citrus fruits inhibit the activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms that activate NNK and may afford protection against NNK-induced carcinogenesis.