Cytochrome P450 induction by nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, azaarenes, and binary mixtures in fish hepatoma cell line PLHC-1.

Nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) and N-heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (azaarenes) are as ubiquitous in the environment as their parent PAH compounds, although occurring at lower concentrations. The toxicological importance of NPAHs and azaarenes is based on their mutagenic and carcinogenic potential. Azaarenes possess a higher solubility and mobility in the environment than PAHs. However, very little is known about the toxicity and cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A induction potencies of NPAHs and azaarenes in fish. Here we report on the cytotoxicities and relative CYP1A induction potencies of 12 NPAHs, 12 azaarenes, and 11 PAHs, determined as neutral red uptake and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, respectively, in fish hepatoma PLHC-1 cells. Additionally, CYP1A enzyme protein was determined by ELISA for two NPAHs, azaarenes, PAHs, and binary mixtures. Compared with the structurally analogous PAHs, 2-nitronaphthalene, 3-nitrofluoranthene, 2-aza- and 7-azafluoranthene, 1,6-dinitropyrene, benzo[a]acridine and benzo[h]quinoline revealed higher induction potencies, whereas the other compounds showed similar or less activity. The induction potency was highly dependent on the compounds structural properties, reflected by significant correlations between the half-maximal EROD induction (-log EC50) and the molecular descriptors lipophilicity (log Kow) and maximal molecular length (Lmax). Binary mixtures of 6-nitrochrysene + benzo[a]anthracene, 6-nitrochrysene + benzo[a]acridine, and benzo[a]acridine + benzo[a]anthracene showed an additive interaction. The CYP1A induction potencies of NPAHs and azaarenes, demonstrated here for the first time in fish hepatoma cells, suggest that their contribution to the overall CYP1A induction potencies in PAH-contaminated environmental samples have to be taken into account.