Interaction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with human cytochrome P450 1B1 in inhibiting catalytic activity.

Eleven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 14 acetylenic PAHs and biphenyls were used to analyze interactions with cytochrome P450 (P450) 1B1 in inhibiting catalytic activity, using 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation (EROD) as a model reaction. Most of the chemicals examined were direct inhibitors of P450 1B1 except for 4-(1-propynyl)biphenyl, a mechanism-based inhibitor. In the case of direct inhibition of EROD activity {15 of 24 chemicals, e.