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Title: Repeated oral benzene exposure alters enzymes involved in benzene metabolism.

Authors: Daiker, D H; Moslen, M T; Carr, J B; Ward Jr, J B

Published In J Toxicol Environ Health, (1996 Aug 9)

Abstract: Benzene is a known carcinogen and hematopoietic toxin in humans and experimental animals. The effect of acute, high-dose exposure to benzene on hepatic bioactivation and detoxication enzymes has been defined, while little is known about the effect of repeated, low-dose benzene exposure on these enzymes. Our objective was to determine whether repeated, oral benzene exposure alters enzymes involved in benzene metabolism. Specifically, we were concerned with cytochrome P-450-2E1, a bioactivation enzyme, and glutathione transferase and aldehyde dehydrogenase, two detoxifying enzymes. Female CD-1 mice were treated by gavage for 3 wk with benzene doses of 5 mg/kg (0.064 mmol/kg) or 50 mg/kg (0.646 mmol/kg) in corn oil. These doses of benzene produced 0.048 and 0.236 mumol muconic acid/d, respectively. We found that repeated exposure to 50 mg benzene/kg/d decreased P-450-2E1 activity by 34% and induced glutathione transferase activity by 30% without affecting aldehyde dehydrogenase activity. These changes in enzyme activities may serve a protective role against repeated exposure to benzene.

PubMed ID: 8751834 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Administration, Oral; Aldehyde Dehydrogenase/drug effects*; Animals; Benzene/administration & dosage; Benzene/metabolism; Benzene/toxicity*; Body Weight/drug effects; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System/drug effects*; Enzyme Induction; Female; Glutathione Transferase/drug effects*; Liver/drug effects; Liver/enzymology*; Mice; Organ Size/drug effects; Phenobarbital/pharmacology; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.; Sorbic Acid/analogs & derivatives; Sorbic Acid/analysis

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