Metabolism of 3-methylcholanthrene in rat liver cytosol.

ABSTRACT

The present study investigates the metabolism of the potent carcinogen 3-methylcholanthrene in rat liver cytosol preparations. Three metabolites of 3-methylcholanthrene were characterized by HPLC and GC/MS analysis. These metabolites were identified as 1-hydroxy-3-methylcholanthrene, 1-keto-3-methylcholanthrene and cholanthrene. The results of the present study, taken together with earlier studies, suggests that the first step in the metabolic activation of 3-methylcholanthrene is hydroxylation at the 1-position, the most easily oxidized reactive center in the molecule.