Mechanism of PCB-induced porphyria and yusho disease.

Abstract

PCBs are known to be potent inducers of chemical porphyria. We studied the structure-activity relationship of synthetic PCBs as porphyrin inducers and found that 3,4,3',4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl, 3,4,3',4',5'-pentachlorobiphenyl, and 3,4,5,3',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl were the most active inducers. The structural requirement for potent porphyrinogenic activity of PCB isomers was the substitution of chlorine atoms at the para and meta positions. Isomers fulfilling this requirement had more highly conjugated and nearly coplanar conformations. In addition, it was demonstrated that inhibition of UROD by the most active porphyrin inducers occurred in vitro using purified enzyme. These findings could explain how porphyrinogenic PCBs, by primarily inhibiting UROD and hence depleting heme, ultimately increase ALAS synthesis. The outbreak of yusho disease in Japan (which was caused by PCB-contaminated rice oil) and a similar episode of food poisoning in Taiwan (which was also related to PCB contamination) were discussed, particularly with reference to urinary porphyrin levels and clinical response.

• Authors: Y Seki, S Kawanishi, S Sano
• Journal: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (Ann N Y Acad Sci) Vol. 514 Pg. 222-34 ( 1987) ISSN: 0077-8923 [Print] United States
• PMID: 3126697 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Plant Oils
• Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins
• Aminolevulinic Acid
• Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls
• Mixed Function Oxygenases
• 5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase
• Uroporphyrinogen Decarboxylase

Topics

• 5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase (metabolism)
• Aminolevulinic Acid (metabolism)
• Animals
• Chick Embryo
• Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System
• Food Contamination
• Isomerism
• Liver (drug effects, enzymology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Mixed Function Oxygenases (metabolism)
• Oryza (poisoning)
• Plant Oils (poisoning)
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls (poisoning)
• Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins
• Porphyrias (chemically induced)
• Uroporphyrinogen Decarboxylase (metabolism)