J Vet Sci.  2007 Dec;8(4):361-368. 10.4142/jvs.2007.8.4.361.

Changes of biomarkers with oral exposure to benzo(a)pyrene, phenanthrene and pyrene in rats

• Kang HG
• Jeong SH
• Cho MH
• Cho JH

• KMID: 1106216
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2007.8.4.361

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants present in air and food. Among PAHs, benzo(a)pyrene(BaP), phenanthrene (PH) and pyrene (PY) are considered to be important for their toxicity or abundance. To investigate the changes of biomarkers after PAH exposure, rats were treated with BaP (150 microgram/kg) alone or with PH (4,300 microgram/kg) and PY (2,700 microgram/kg) (BPP group) by oral gavage once per day for 30 days. 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity in liver microsomal fraction was increased in only BaP groups. The highest concentration (34.5 ng/g) of BaP, was found in muscle of rats treated with BaP alone at 20 days of treatment; it was 23.6 ng/g in BPP treated rats at 30 days of treatment. The highest PH concentration was 47.1 ng/g in muscle and 118.8 ng/g in fat, and for PY it was 29.7 ng/g in muscle and 219.9 ng/g in fat, in BPP groups. In urine, 114-161 ng/ml 3-OH-PH was found, while PH was 41-69 ng/ml during treatment. 201-263 ng/ml 1-OH-PY was found, while PH was 9-17 ng/ml in urine. The level of PY, PH and their metabolites in urine was rapidly decreased after withdrawal of treatment. This study suggest that 1-OH-PY in urine is a sensitive biomarker for PAHs; it was the most highly detected marker among the three PAHs and their metabolites evaluated during the exposure period and for 14 days after withdrawal.

Keyword

benzo(a)pyrene; biomarker; PAHs; phenanthrene; pyrene

MeSH Terms

Adipose Tissue/chemistry/drug effects
Animals
Benzo(a)pyrene/analysis/metabolism/*toxicity
Biological Markers/metabolism/urine
Blood Chemical Analysis
Body Weight/drug effects
Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1/metabolism
Environmental Pollutants/blood/metabolism/*toxicity/urine
Female
Liver/drug effects/enzymology
Lymphocytes/drug effects/metabolism
Muscle, Skeletal/drug effects/metabolism
Organ Size/drug effects
Phenanthrenes/blood/metabolism/*toxicity/urine
Pyrenes/analysis/metabolism/*toxicity
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Time Factors

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Change of body weight by treatment with a vehicle (4 ml/kg BW), benzo(a)pyrene 150 µg/kg alone (BaP) and benzo(a)pyrene with pyrene 1,700 µg/kg and phenanthrene 4,300 µg/kg (BPP). The chemicals were used for treatment for 30 days via gavage in 9-week-old female SD rats. Values are mean ± SD.

• 

  Fig. 2 Liver microsomal EROD activity at different time points by treatment with a vehicle (4 ml/kg BW), benzo(a)pyrene 150 µg/kg alone (BaP) and benzo(a)pyrene with pyrene 1,700 µg/kg and phenanthrene 4,300 µg/kg (BPP). Values are mean ± SD. *Significantly different from vehicle control at p < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 3 Changes of PAHs in muscle at different time points by treatment with benzo(a)pyrene 150 µg/kg alone (BaP) and benzo(a)pyrene with pyrene 1,700 µg/kg and phenanthrene 4,300 µg/kg (BPP). Values are mean ± SD.

• 

  Fig. 4 Changes of PAHs in fat at different time points by treatment with benzo(a)pyrene 150 µg/kg alone (BaP) and benzo(a)pyrene with pyrene 1,700 µg/kg and phenanthrene 4,300 µg/kg (BPP). Values are mean ± SD.

• 

  Fig. 5 Changes of PAHs and their metabolites in urine at different time points by treatment with benzo(a)pyrene 150 µg/kg alone (BaP) and benzo(a)pyrene with pyrene 1,700 µg/kg and phenanthrene 4,300 µg/kg (BPP). Values are mean ± SD.

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