The biotransformation of allyl alcohol and acrolein in rat liver and lung preparations.

The biotransformation of allyl alcohol and acrolein by rat lung and liver preparations was investigated by measuring acrolein, acrylic acid, glycidol, and glycidaldehyde. Acrolein was detected by high-pressure liquid chromatography from incubation mixtures containing allyl alcohol, NAD+, and liver 9000g supernatant fraction or cytosol. Acrolein was not formed when lung fractions were treated similarly. Addition of pyrazole in the incubation mixture inhibited the reaction. The metabolism of acrolein to acrylic acid by liver 9000g supernatant fraction, cytosol, and microsomes has been demonstrated; acrylic acid formation was greater with NAD+ than with NADP+ in all three fractions. Acrylic acid was also formed from allyl alcohol. Disulfiram inhibited the NAD+- and NADP+-dependent reactions. Acrylic acid was not formed when lung preparations were used. Lung and liver microsomal epoxidation products of allyl alcohol and acrolein have been identified. Conversion of glycidol to glycerol and glycidaldehyde to glyceraldehyde by liver epoxide hydrase has been demonstrated. Epoxides, glycidol, and glycidaldehyde were also found to be substrates for lung and liver cytosolic glutathione S-transferase.