Effects of phenobarbital, trans-stilbene oxide, and 3-methylcholanthrene on epoxide hydrolase within centrilobular, midzonal, and periportal regions of rat liver.

The effects of phenobarbital, trans-stilbene oxide, and 3-methylcholanthrene on epoxide hydrolase (EC 3.3.2.3) within centrilobular, midzonal, and periportal hepatocytes were investigated employing rabbit anti-serum produced against rat hepatic microsomal epoxide hydrolase in unlabeled antibody peroxidase-anti-peroxidase and indirect fluorescent antibody-staining techniques. In livers of control rats, midzonal and periportal hepatocytes bound the anti-epoxide hydrolase to similar extents while centrilobular hepatocytes bound approximately 25% more antibody. 3-Methylcholanthrene did not cause significant alterations in immunohistochemical staining for epoxide hydrolase within any region of the liver lobule, whereas phenobarbital and trans-stilbene oxide produced significant alterations in both the intensity and pattern of intralobular staining for the enzyme. After 4 days of phenobarbital pretreatment, anti-epoxide hydrolase binding to hepatocytes was slightly, but significantly, elevated, especially within midzonal regions. After 7 days of phenobarbital pretreatment, anti-epoxide hydrolase binding was increased by approximately 65% within midzonal regions and by approximately 41 and 24%, respectively, within centrilobular and periportal regions. In livers of trans-stilbene oxide-pretreated rats, anti-epoxide hydrolase binding was increased by approximately 80% within both the midzonal and periportal regions and by approximately 43% within centrilobular regions. These immunohistochemical findings demonstrate that phenobarbital and trans-stilbene oxide both induce epoxide hydrolase nonuniformly within the liver lobule. However, while phenobarbital induces the enzyme to the greatest extent within midzonal hepatocytes and to the least extent within periportal hepatocytes, trans-stilbene oxide induces epoxide hydrolase equally within midzonal and periportal hepatocytes.