The mixed-function oxygenase system involved in the metabolism of drugs and xenobiotics has been extensively studied in various animal species and in various organs (1). It is now apparent that in humans the p-450 complex is one representative of a related family, expressed by 13 c-DNA genes showing approximately 36% similarity between the different subfamilies (2). In order to compare the in vivo and in vitro metabolic effects of drugs and xenobiotics, the induction capabilities of the mixed-function oxygenase must be known. The most sensitive non-isotopic assay system for determination of mixed-function oxygenase activity is the method of Nebert & Gelboin (3,4), which is based on the metabolic transformation of benzo-(a)-pyrene to its fluorescent hydroxyl derivatives (5). However, the levels of the mixed-function oxygenase enzymes in different cellular systems show great variations, with the highest activities in liver cells. Therefore, in order to use human lymphocytes and other cellular systems with low mixed-function oxygenase activities, the assay method for determining oxygenase activity must have the highest possible sensitivity. The present communication is devoted to a study aimed at increasing the sensitivity of Nebert & Gelboin's methods for assay of mixed-function oxygenase subfamilies using benzo-(a)-pyrene as a substrate.
