In mice, Me[SO.sub.2]-DDE induces mitochondrial degeneration and cellular necrosis in the adrenal zona fasciculata. In this study, we used precision-cut tissue slice culture to examine local CYP11B1-catalyzed irreversible binding of Me[SO.sub.2]-DDE in the murine adrenal cortex.
In the search for target cells of chlorinated aryl methyl sulfones it was found that [sup.14]C-labeled Me[SO.sub.2]-DDE produces a high and specific accumulation in the adrenal zona fasciculata in mice (10).
CYP11B1 catalyzes the last step in this pathway but also, as mentioned, the metabolic activation of Me[SO.sub.2]-DDE in the adrenal zona fasciculata (12,30,31).
The application of tissue-slice culture proved very useful for examining bioactivation and toxicity of Me[SO.sub.2]-DDE in the mouse adrenal zona fasciculata ex vivo.
