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Acrylonitrile metabolism in the rat
Archives of Toxicology. Supplement. = Archiv Fur Toxikologie. Supplement
|January 1, 1980
Summary
Acrylonitrile (AN) is metabolized primarily through glutathione conjugation, forming N-acetyl-S-(2-cyanoethyl)cysteine. A minor oxidative pathway produces cyanide, which is then converted to thiocyanate.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Metabolism studies
Background:
- Acrylonitrile (AN) is an industrial chemical with known toxicity.
- Understanding AN's metabolic fate is crucial for risk assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the metabolic pathways of acrylonitrile in biological systems.
- To identify the major metabolites and their formation routes.
Main Methods:
- Metabolic profiling of acrylonitrile exposure.
- Identification of key intermediate and final products.
Main Results:
- The primary metabolic route involves glutathione conjugation, accounting for over two-thirds of AN metabolism.
- This pathway yields N-acetyl-S-(2-cyanoethyl)cysteine (AN-mercapturic acid) as the major end product.
- A secondary, minor pathway involves oxidation to glycidonitrile and glycolaldehyde cyanohydrin, leading to cyanide formation and subsequent thiocyanate transformation.
Conclusions:
- Glutathione conjugation is the dominant pathway for acrylonitrile detoxification.
- Cyanide formation represents a minor metabolic route for acrylonitrile.