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USING BIOFLAVONOIDS TO INHIBIT CYP1A1 INDUCTION BY COMPONENTS OF COOKED CHICKEN

Abstract

When in the presence of a ligand, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) helps regulate metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by inducing expression of the CYP1A1 enzyme. Examples of environmental exposures that contain these ligands include: cigarette smoke, burning rubber, and char on cooked food. One of the main AHR ligands in these is benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a procarcinogen that becomes a DNA-damaging metabolite when activated by CYP1A1. Naturally occurring flavonoids and stilbenoids have been shown to inhibit CYP1A1 induction, preventing this dangerous metabolite formation. For this research, two samples of chicken were used, grilled and baked, to mimic practical daily consumption of these B[a]P deposits. Ethanol extracts created using the char from the grilled sample were able to activate expression (13-fold) in mouse hepatocytes, as determined by a CYP1A1-promoter luciferase reporter gene, but the baked samples were not. Further, pretreatment with any of the three flavonoids tested decreased this induction: 100nM hesperetin (49% decrease), 100nM quercetin (80% decrease), or 100nM apigenin (99% decrease). Pretreatment with the stilbenoid, resveratrol (200nM), was not able to inhibit CYP1A1 induction. These data suggest that baked chicken contains less CYP1A1-inducing compounds than grilled chicken and foods high in bioflavonoids (especially apigenin) could prevent the activation of B[a]P and, thus, reduce cancer risk.

Acknowledgements

Young Harris Department of Biology

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