ON THE INTERACTIONS OF PERFLUOROCHEMICAL EMULSIONS WITH LIVER MICROSOMAL-MEMBRANES

The interactions of rat liver microsomal membranes with various emulsi fied perfluorochemicals (PFCs) have been studied. The percentage of mi crosomal cytochrome P450 forming a complex with a PFC decreased with i ncreasing critical solution temperature (CST) of the PFC. The complex was apparently not formed with lipophobic PFCs whose CSTs were higher than 46-degrees-C, e.g. perfluorotributylamine. The complex was destro yed by an excess of a lipophobic PFC emulsion. The rate of complex for mation depended on the solubility of the PFC in water and on the dispe rsity of the emulsion. The results obtained have been used for an anal ysis of liver cytochrome P450 induction after intravenous administrati on of fluorocarbon emulsions to rats. It is suggested that the membran e-related biological activities of PFCs depend mainly on the solubilit y of PFCs in lipids and water.