A microspectrofluorometric approach for the study of Benzo(a)pyrene and Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene metabolization in single living cells

Summary The use of a microspectrofluorometer in conjunction with the microelectrophoretic intracellular injection of glycolytic intermediates, for the study of carcinogen metabolization (i.e. Benzo(a)pyrene (BP) and Dibenzo(a, h)anthracene) by single living EL2 ascites cells, has allowed the detection of fluorescence attributable to the metabolites of BP and DBA.The results obtained are in agreement with those yielded by more conventional methods: i.e. in vivo assay and in vitro reconstitution of intracellular environment. Thus, it is observed that NADPH is more active in the metabolization of BP. Furthermore, in the case of BP the fluorescence attributable to a BP metabolite, exhibits a strong similarity to 3-OH benzo(a) pyrene.