Effect of hexachlorobenzene on the activities of hepatic alcohol metabolizing enzymes.

Abstract

To study the effect of experimental hepatic porphyria on the activities of hepatic alcohol metabolizing enzymes, female rats received a chow diet containing 0.05% hexachlorobenzene (HCB). After long-term HCB treatment for 60 days hepatic porphyria developed as evidenced by increased hepatic delta-aminolevulinic acid synthase activity and enhanced urinary excretion of delta-aminolevulinic acid, porphobilinogen and total porphyrins. Concomitantly, the activities of the hepatic microsomal ethanol oxidizing system (MEOS) were strikingly augmented by 213% (P less than 0.05) and 177% (P less than 0.01) when expressed per g of liver wet weight or per 100 g of body weight, respectively, whereas hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase activities remained virtually unchanged. Moreover, hepatic catalase showed only a trend for a slightly lower enzymic activity under these experimental conditions. The present data therefore show that experimental hepatic porphyria is associated with alterations of hepatic MEOS activities, which in turn may be a factor for the manifestation of human hepatic porphyrias in the course of alcohol consumption.

• Authors: R Teschke, K Bolsen, H Landmann, G Goerz
• Journal: Biochemical pharmacology (Biochem Pharmacol) Vol. 32 Issue 11 Pg. 1745-51 (Jun 01 1983) ISSN: 0006-2952 [Print] England
• PMID: 6870916 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Chlorobenzenes
• Ethanol
• Hexachlorobenzene

Topics

• Animals
• Chlorobenzenes (pharmacology)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Ethanol (metabolism)
• Female
• Hexachlorobenzene (pharmacology)
• Liver (drug effects, enzymology)
• Liver Diseases (enzymology, etiology)
• Porphyrias (chemically induced, enzymology)
• Rats
• Rats, Inbred Strains