The metabolism of the 10,11-dihydrodiol of benz[a]-anthracene to a vicinal diol-epoxide that is not involved in metabolic activation.

Abstract

Benz[a]anthracene-10,11-diol, a major metabolite of benz[a]anthracene, is metabolized by a rat-liver microsomal system to form anti-BA-10,11-diol 8, 9-oxide (t-10,r-11-dihydroxy-t-8,9-oxy-8,9,10,11 -tetrahydrobenz[a]anthracene) and, to a lesser extent, syn-BA-10,11-diol 8,9-oxide (t-10,r-11-dihydroxy-c-8,9-oxy-8,9,10,11-tetrahydrobenz[a] anthracene). However, when benz[a]anthracene is incubated with DNA in a rat-liver microsomal system, anti-BA-10,11-diol 8,9-oxide does not contribute to the covalent binding of this hydrocarbon to DNA.