The objective of this study was to compare RT-PCR, Western blot and determination of enzyme activity in the assessment of the induction of cytochromes P450 (CYPs) 1A1 and 1A2 by benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats. Inhibition studies and kinetic analyses confirmed literature data indicating that methoxyresorufin is a specific CYP1A2 substrate in both uninduced and BaP-treated rats, whereas ethoxyresorufin is a specific CYP1A1 substrate only in BaP-treated rats. BaP treatment increased mRNA and protein expressions of both CYP1A enzymes to a greater extent in Wistar than Sprague-Dawley rats. It consistently caused a higher increase in mRNA and protein expression of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in the former rats. By contrast, CYP1A2 enzyme activity was much more markedly increased in Sprague-Dawley than Wistar rats and CYP1A1 activity was induced to similar levels. A BaP-induced increase in the turnover number of CYP1A enzymes in Sprague-Dawley rats, relative to Wistar rats, may provide a plausible explanation for the differential effect of BaP on gene expression and enzyme activity. These results have methodological implications, since they show that RT-PCR and Western blot may not provide a quantitative measure of induction of CYP1A activity, which is the actual measure of the change in CYP1A-mediated metabolism.