Preliminary evidence for the metabolism of benzo(a) pyrene by Plantago lanceolata

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have long been recognised as potential carcinogens in animals in which biotransformation into reactive metabolites can lead to DNA damage. In animals PAHs metabolism mainly occurs in hepatic microsomes and is associated with the cytochrome p-450 mediated mixed functional oxidase (MFO) system. PAH metabolism in plants has been shown to occur via a similar enzyme system, but has received relatively little attention. This study is looking at how the plant species Plantago lanceolata metabolises benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P), which is one of the PAHs whose metabolism has been studied extensively in animals. The aim of the work is to establish firstly that the B(a)P is taken up and secondly that it is biotransformed by the plant to products possibly similar to those found in animals. This work is achieved by using C-14-B(a)P along with whole body autoradiography, scintillation analysis and chromatography techniques to locate the B(a)P and its metabolites.