[Effect of trace elements on the hydroxylation of benzo(a)pyrene]

The trace elements are surrounding factors which are able to act on the yield of benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylation reaction of the hepatic tissue. This action was studied for each element and for various concentrations. The action of these elements may occurred to arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase by activating or inhibiting it, to epoxyde hydrase or to glutathione S epoxydase, favouring or inhibiting the way epoxyde dihydrodiol, and finally to arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase induction. Our results, obtained in vitro on hepatic tissue with many metallic salts, showed that some trace elements may have a cocarcinogenic action.