Role of rat liver inducible enzyme in vitro metabolic transformation of 1-nitropyrene

Liver enzymes (S9) of rats induced with various drugs differently affected the mutagenic response of 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) in vitro. The role of inducible enzymes in 1-NP conversion was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses of 1-NP metabolites formed during incubation in vitro of the chemical with each S9 fraction. Methylcholanthrene (MC)-induced S9 preferentially results in 1-NP hydroxylation in position 6 or 8. Metabolic interconversions among 1-NP metabolites could be inferred from the HPLC patterns