Elimination of antipyrine and benzo[a]pyrene metabolism in cultured human lymphocytes.

A strong correlation was found in a carefully selected homogenous population (n = 57) between antipyrine plasma half-life and the percent induction of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase by 3-methylcholanthrene in mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes from the same individual. The correlation coefficient of r = 0.923 indicates that antipyrine and benzo[a]pyrene share one or several common determinants that are responsible for the observed interindividual variation in the oxidation rates of the two compounds. When a heterogenous population (n = 80) was studied, the above correlation was not found (r = 0.425).