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Rat liver microsomes catalyse covalent binding of 14C-vinyl chloride to macromolecules

Abstract

THE occurrence of angiosarcoma and injury of the liver in workers occupationally exposed to vinyl chloride (VC) has focused interest on the fate of VC in the organism. Jaeger et al.1 presented evidence that pretreatment of rats with phenobarbital, which induces the microsomal mixed function oxidase system of the liver, also enhances liver toxicity of VC. They suggested that VC may be transformed by this enzymic system to a reactive epoxide intermediate which has also been considered by some other authors2,3. This intermediate, according to its electrophilic properties, might interact with components of the liver cell. We present here some results which further support this theory.

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KAPPUS, H., BOLT, H., BUCHTER, A. et al. Rat liver microsomes catalyse covalent binding of 14C-vinyl chloride to macromolecules. Nature 257, 134–135 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/257134a0

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