The kidney as a novel target tissue for protein adduct formation associated with metabolism of halothane and the candidate chlorofluorocarbon replacement 2,2‐dichloro‐1,1,1‐trifluoroethane

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) have been identified as chemical replacements of the widely used chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that are implicated in stratospheric ozone depletion. Many HCFCs are structural analogues of the anesthetic agent halothane and may follow a common pathway of biotransformation and formation of adducts to protein‐centered and other cellular nucleophiles. Exposure of rats to a single dose of halothane (2‐bromo‐2‐chloro‐1,1,1‐trifluoroethane) or of the candidate CFC substitute HCFC 123 (2,2‐dichloro‐1,1,1‐trifluoroethane) led to the formation of trifluoroacetylated protein adducts (CF 3 CO‐proteins) not only in the liver, but also in the kidney as a novel target tissue for protein trifluoroacetylation. CF 3 CO‐proteins in the kidney amounted to about 5% of those formed in the liver of the same animal. The amount of CF 3 CO‐proteins formed within the kidney was roughly reflected by the capacity of metabolism of halothane or HCFC 123 by rat kidney microsomes in vitro which amounted to about 10% of that observed with liver microsomes. By immunohistochemistry, CF 3 CO‐proteins in the kidney were mainly localized in the tubular segments of the cortex. In the liver, the density of CF 3 CO‐proteins decreased from the central vein towards the portal triad. In vitro incubation of rat liver microsomes with halothane or HCFC 123 resulted in extensive formation of CF 3 CO‐proteins and reproduced faithfully the pattern of liver CF 3 CO‐proteins obtained in vivo. CF 3 CO‐proteins generated in vitro were immunochemically not discernible from those generated in vivo . Glutathione (5 mM) and cysteine (5 mM) virtually abolished CF 3 CO‐protein formation; the release of Br − from halothane and Cl − from HCFC 123 was reduced to much lesser a degree. S ‐Methyl‐glutathione, N ‐acetyl‐cysteine, methionine, and N ‐acetyl‐methionine only slightly affected the formation of CF 3 CO‐proteins or metabolism of either substrate. The data suggest that metabolism and concomitant CF 3 CO‐protein formation of halothane or of candidate CFC replacements like HCFC 123 is not restricted to the liver but also takes place in the kidney. Furthermore, an in vitro system for CF 3 CO‐protein formation has been developed and used to show that protein‐centered and glutathione‐centered nucleophilic sites compete for intermediates of metabolism of halothane or of HCFC 123.