Induction of rat liver microsomal epoxide hydrolase by its endogenous substrate 16α, 17α-epoxyestra-1,3,5-trien-3-ol

1. The influence of the endogenous steroid epoxides 16 alpha, 17 alpha-epoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-3-ol (estroxide) and 16 alpha, 17 alpha-expoxiandrost-4-en-3-one (androstene oxide) and their metabolic precursors estra-1,3,5(10), 16-tetraen-3-ol (estratetraenol) and androsta-4, 16-dien-3-one (androstadienone) on the specific activities of hepatic microsomal and soluble epoxide hydrolase, glutathione S-transferase, dihydrodiol dehydrogenase, and 7-ethoxycoumarin deethylase was investigated in the male Sprague-Dawley rat. 2. Both estroxide and estratetraenol induced microsomal epoxide hydrolase activity towards styrene oxide and estroxide itself 2-2.5-fold and glutathione conjugation of 1-chl…