Strain differences in aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase induction by 3-methylcholanthrene in rabbits

We determined both basal and induced AHH activity in livers of six partially inbred strains of rabbits. Strain III rabbits had the highest enzyme activity upon induction by 3-MCA, i.e., four to five times that in strain WH (noninducible), which has the lowest enzyme activity. AHH induction was also "low" in strains X, OS, ACEP, and AC. F1 hybrids between strains III and WH revealed a differential response to the induction of liver AHH activity by MCA: the levels of induced hydroxylase activity were consistently higher in (III X WH)F1 rabbits than in the reciprocal (WH X III)F1 hybrids. All possible crosses between these two "extreme" strains are now being analyzed to estimate the number of genes involved in their response difference to MCA.