Synergism of diazinon toxicity and inhibition of diazinon metabolism in the house fly by tridiphane: Inhibition of glutathione S-transferase activity

Abstract

Diazinon toxicity to a susceptible strain of house fly ( Musca domestica L.) was synergized by tridiphane [2-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-2-(2,2,2-trichloroethyl)oxirane], a herbicide synergist. Both diazinon and tridiphane were partially metabolized in the house fly by glutathione (GSH) conjugation. Synergism appeared to be due to inhibition of diazinon metabolism/detoxification. Crude glutathione S-transferase (GST) preparations from the house fly catalyzed GSH conjugation of diazinon, tridiphane, 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene (DCNB), and chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB). Tridiphane and the GSH conjugate of tridiphane appeared to inhibit diazinon GSH conjugation, but diazinon did not inhibit tridiphane GSH conjugation. The enzymatic rate of tridiphane GSH conjugation was 22 times the rate of diazinon GSH conjugation; therefore, attempts to assay tridiphane as an inhibitor of diazinon GSH conjugation were inconclusive because of the high concentration of tridiphane GSH conjugate produced during the assay. CDNB underwent enzymatic GSH conjugation at a rate 240 times faster than that of tridiphane and 5000 times faster than that of diazinon. GSH conjugation of CDNB was not inhibited by tridiphane, but was inhibited by the GSH conjugate of tridiphane. In vivo, the GSH conjugate of tridiphane was produced in sufficient concentration to cause the observed inhibition of diazinon metabolism and synergism of diazinon toxicity. However, the possibility that parent tridiphane caused or contributed to the inhibition of diazinon metabolism and synergism of diazinon toxicity could not be excluded. Inhibition of diazinon metabolism did not appear to be due to depletion of either GSH or GST.