Abstract
The biologically active and chemically unstable metabolite of benzo(a)pyrene, 7 beta,8 alpha-dihydroxy-9 alpha, 10 alpha-epoxybenzo(a)pyrene (BPDE), binds to human serum albumin in aqueous solutions with an association constant of 2.6 X 10(5)M-1. At pH 7.2, 24 degrees C and in 5mM sodium cacodylate buffer solution, this binding increases the lifetime of the diol epoxide by a factor of nearly 3. It is suggested that the formation of such physical complexes with proteins having hydrophobic interiors or with lipids may provide a mechanism by which highly reactive metabolites are transported from the site of metabolic synthesis to biological target molecules (e.g., DNA), in a reactive aqueous environment.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 35-40 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Cancer Biochemistry Biophysics |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| State | Published - Jun 1985 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biophysics
- Cancer Research