Abstract
AHH activity was measured in cultured AFC obtained from patients undergoing amniocentesis for advanced maternal age. Enzyme activity in cell homogenates was measured spectrofluorimetrically by the conversion of 3,4-benzpyrene to alkali-extractable products. Pooled samples were employed to characterize the enzymic activity. In most pooled samples AHH activity was induced from 2-to 5-fold after culture for 24 hours in the presence of 2,3-benzanthracene (BA) a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). When a series of PAH's were compared as inducing agents 1,2-benzanthracene was found to be the most effective among 5 tested. Enzyme induction with all PAH's was maximal by 12 hours after exposure. Large differences in activity and inducibility were observed in cultures from 10 individual fetuses. Mean control AHH activity was 162±35 pmol/min/mg; mean induced activity was 329±72 pmol/min/mg. The ratio of induced to control activity for each fetus was determined. These ratios ranged from 0.98 to 4.48 and analysis by an iterative maximum likelihood procedure suggested the existence of two discrete populations. Thus AHH activity is present and inducible in fetal AFC as early as 14 wks. of gestation. Determination of AHH in AFC may provide a means for individualization of risk assessment for babies exposed to toxic xenobiotics in utero.
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Blumer, J., Frank, D., Yamashita, T. et al. 315 INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN ARYL HYDROCARBON HYDROXYLASE (AHH) INDUCIBILITY IN CULTURED AMNIOTIC FLUID CELLS(AFC). Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 492 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00326
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00326
