The increasing and decreasing effects of aromatic hydrocarbon solvents on pulmonary and hepatic cytochrome P-450 in the rat.

The effects of pretreatment with benzene and various methylbenzenes, ethyl- and propylbenzene, cumene and styrene on hepatic and pulmonary microsomal enzymes were studied in male rats. In the lungs, all the substituted benzenes, but not benzene itself, decreased cytochrome P-450 concentration, and most of them also decreased 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activity, whereas 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity was increased by the same treatment. The change in aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity was negligible. Neither NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity, nor cytochrome b5 concentration were changed after hydrocarbon treatment. In the liver, all the compounds studied, except for benzene, increased 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase and 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase, and most of them also cytochrome P-450, aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylate and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. The effect on cytochrome b5 in the liver was less marked. In the liver, all the monooxygenases studied seemed to be inducible by alkylbenzenes and styrene, whereas the effect was selective in the lung; depending on the monooxygenase, the activity can increase, decrease or remain unchanged.