DT-diaphorase and peroxidase influence the covalent binding of the metabolites of phenol, the major metabolite of benzene.

The role of various enzymes and biological molecules on the activation and deactivation of the metabolites of phenol was investigated in vitro. Phenol, the major metabolite of benzene, is metabolized to hydroquinone and catechol. Activation of these metabolites and deactivation of their oxidized forms was assessed by the amount of covalent binding to microsomal protein. [14C]Phenol and NADPH were incubated with hepatic microsomes isolated from phenobarbital-pretreated guinea pigs, and 2.33 nmoles of hydroquinone and 0.12 nmole of catechol were formed per minute per milligram of microsomal protein. Covalent binding of the metabolites to microsomal protein incubated with microsomes isolated from guinea pigs pretreated with phenobarbital was 252 pmoles bound/min/mg; with microsomes from untreated guinea pigs, covalent binding was 146 pmoles bound/min/mg. Covalent binding was inhibited greater than 90% with the addition of N-octylamine, ascorbate, or GSH. The addition of superoxide dismutase inhibited covalent binding with microsomes isolated from phenobarbital-pretreated guinea pigs 35% but did not inhibit it with microsomes isolated from untreated animals. Partially purified guinea pig hepatic DT-diaphorase [NAD(P)H (quinone acceptor) oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.99.2] inhibited covalent binding 70%. This effect was reversed in the presence of dicumarol, a specific inhibitor of DT-diaphorase. DT-diaphorase present in the 10(5) X g supernatant fraction was also active in inhibiting covalent binding but only after the removal of endogenous reduced glutathione. This effect could also be reversed by dicumarol. The addition of diaphorase (NADH:lipoamide oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.4.3) partially purified from Clostridium kluyveri inhibited covalent binding 86%. The addition of hydrogen peroxide and horseradish peroxidase (peroxidase, EC 1.11.17) or myeloperoxidase(s) increased covalent binding 30-fold and 6-fold, respectively. Ascorbate decreased this binding greater than 95%. These results indicate that hydroquinone, catechol, and phenol as well as their oxidized forms can be activated or deactivated by several of the above model systems. These systems may play a role in the myelotoxicity of benzene by modulating covalent binding.