Effects of sulfur-containing metabolites of hexachlorobenzene on the heme metabolic enzymes in rat liver.

Effects of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and its sulfur-containing metabolites on the heme metabolic enzymes in rat liver were investigated. A single injection of HCB caused the increase in activities of delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) synthetase and heme oxygenase, and contents of cytochrome P-450 and total heme. After a single injection of pentachlorothioanisol (PCTA) or pentachlorophenyl methyl sulfore (PCPSO2Me), ALA synthetase activity was enhanced. Heme oxygenase activity was increased by PCPSO2Me treatment. Cytochrome P-450 and total heme contents were increased by PCPSO2Me or 1,4-bis(methylthio)tetrachlorobenzene (MTTCB). When HCB was injected once daily for 5 weeks, a marked increase in ALA synthetase activity, a significant decrease in ALA dehydratase, almost complete inhibition of uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase activity, and an increased excretion of total porphyrin in the urine were shown. After chronic treatment with its sulfur-containing compounds, PCPSO2Me and MTTCB produced a significant increase in ALA synthetase activity. However, activities of ALA dehydratase and uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase, and excretion of total porphyrin in the urine were unaltered. At this time, the concentrations of the corresponding sulfur-containing compound and related metabolite(s) in blood, liver and kidney were nearly the same as those observed in HCB-treated rats. It is suggested that PCPSO2Me and MTTCB could induce the hepatic ALA synthetase, but, these metabolites, and also PCTA, were not able to induce the porphyria in female rats, and the induction of porphyria by HCB is not attributable to the action of its sulfur-containing compound.