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Foreskins from children who were circumcised 2 to 4 days after birth contain an enzyme system that hydroxylates the carcinogen benzo[alpha]pyrene. When foreskin was cultured for 16 hours in the presence of 10 micromolar benz[alpha]anthracene, a two- to fivefold increase in activity of benzo[alpha]pyrene hydroxylase was obtained. An evaluation of the basal activity and inducibility of carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes in human tissues may provide a means of determining the ability of different individuals to metabolize carcinogens.
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Levin et al. (1972) studied this question.
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