Genetic Control of Interindividual Variations in the Inducibility of Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylase in Cultured Human Lymphocytes

Steven A. Atlas, Elliot S. Vesell, Daniel W. Nebert

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

117 Scopus citations

Abstract

Interindividual and intraindividual variations in aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) induction by 3-methylcholanthrene were studied in cultured lymphocytes from normal adult volunteers. Using eight pairs of monozygotic and eight pairs of dizygotic twins, we examined to what extent these variations are controlled by heritable factors and whether AHH inducibility correlates in an individual with the plasma half-lives of three drugs. Substantial overestimation of the induction ratio (fold inducibility) may occur if the nonlinearity of the assay standard curve is not considered. Fold inducibility remains relatively constant for an individual, but large intraindividual variations occur in absolute “control” and “induced” AHH activities. Fetal calf serum may contain inducers of AHH activity that vary with the particular lot of serum, thereby rendering the apparent induction ratio an imprecise indicator of genetic susceptibility to induction by 3-methylcholanthrene. The index of heritably for AHH fold inducibility in twins studied with different lots of fetal calf serum (0.80) or with a single lot of fetal calf serum (0.77) suggests nonetheless that genetic rather than environmental factors are mainly responsible for interindividual variations in AHH inducibility by 3-methylcholanthrene in human lymphocytes. In these twins a significant but poor correlation (r =-0.551; 0.03 < p < 0.05) occurs between AHH inducibility in culture and the plasma antipyrine half-life, but not between AHH inducibility and phenylbutazone or bishydroxycoumarin half-lives.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4619-4630
Number of pages12
JournalCancer Research
Volume36
Issue number12
StatePublished - Dec 1976
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Genetic Control of Interindividual Variations in the Inducibility of Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylase in Cultured Human Lymphocytes'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this