SOME STUDIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CYTO-TOXICITY OF AFLATOXIN-B1 TO RAT HEPATOCYTES AND METABOLISM OF THE TOXIN

Abstract

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) caused marked, rapid (1 h) inhibition of RNA synthesis and subsequent cytotoxic response in isolated and primary cultured hepatocytes, from control rats, which are known to metabolise AFB1. A rat liver-derived cell line, BL8L, was much less susceptible to these effects of AFB1. These cells have no detectable AFB1 metabolising capacity, but a less potent, anti-mitotic action of AFB1 was observed in the BL8L cell line. Thus AFB1 would seem to require metabolism to exert its acute cytotoxic action which is found at very low AFB1 concentrations, although a direct antimitotic effect, independent of metabolism, is seen in dividing cells. Phenobarbitone and 3-methylcholanthrene ..