The metabolism in vitro of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]-anthracene by human bone marrow.

The leukaemogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]-anthracene (DMBA) has been incubated with human bone marrow cells. It was found that these cells could metabolise DMBA to a number of products and that the process was dependent upon incubation time and upon cell number. Different bone marrow fractions from the same individual formed different DMBA dihydrodiols. Evidence was obtained that suggested that conjugation of DMBA metabolites with glucuronic acid occurred during incubation with bone marrow cells. The differential site-specific metabolism of DMBA by human bone marrow fractions may have implications for future epidemiological studies.