Hexachlorobenzene induction of 2,4-diaminoanisole mutagenicity in vitro.

Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)-pretreatment of rats leads to an increase in liver microsomal 2,4-diaminoanisole activation to a mutagen after a dose of 10 mg/kg intraperitoneally and to an increase in ethylmorphine N-demethylase after a dose of 50 mg/kg intraperitoneally. 2,4-Diaminoanisole mutagenicity was increased 24 hrs after HCB-pretreatment, whereas ethylmorphine N-demethylase first increased after 48 hrs. There is a sex difference in the inducing effects of HCB on ethylmorphine N-demethylase, but not on 2,4-diaminoanisole mutagenicity. HCB-pretreatment also leads to increases in 2,4-diaminoansiole mutagenicity in the kidneys, but not in the lings or in foetal liver.