3-Hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene glucuronidation by cells: a direct fluorometric assay in culture medium

A direct fluorometric assay for measuring the glucuronidation by cultured cells using 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (less than 1 microM) as substrate is described. The method is based on the different characteristics in the fluorescence spectra of 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene-3-glucuronide. The analytical procedure operates directly on the culture medium without extraction steps. The sensitivity of detection is 1 nmol glucuronide/1 mumol substrate.