Superfund Research Program
Bioavailability of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons
Project Leader: Margaret O. James
Grant Number: P42ES007375
Funding Period: 1995-2006
Project-Specific Links
Project Summary (1995-2000)
The objectives of this project are to obtain a better
understanding of the factors that influence intestinal
bioavailability and biotransformation of lipophilic
xenobiotics that may be present in the diet, focussing on
halogenated Superfund chemicals. Researchers propose to
test the hypotheses that Ah receptor agonists found in
Superfund sites cause alterations in the physiological and
structural make-up of intestinal cells that affect the
intestinal bioavailability and biotransformation of
lipophilic chemicals. The first specific aim is to examine
the intestinal biotransformation and bioavailability of
radiolabeled 3,4,3',4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB) and
2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (HCB) as well as the
chlorinated solvent trichloroethylene in control and
induced catfish. The second specific aim relates to
mechanisms of absorption. Scientists propose to
investigate the expression of selected proteins, P-glycoprotein and GSH-S-transferase (GST) that
may be
affected by Ah receptor agonists and involved in the
transport of lipophilic xenobiotics. These experiments
will use molecular biological techniques with control and
TCDD- or TCB-treated fish.