DETECTION OF DNA-ADDUCTS IN THE WHITE BLOOD-CELLS OF B6C3F1 MICE TREATED WITH BENZENE

We have employed the P-1-enhanced P-32-postlabeling procedure to detec t the formation DNA of adducts in the white blood cells (WBC) of B6C3F 1 mice treated by i.p. injection with benzene, Treatment twice a day w ith 440 mg/kg benzene for 1-7 days resulted in the formation of one ma jor (adduct 1) and one minor (adduct 2) DNA adduct in the WBCs of mice , The same DNA adduct pattern was also found in the bone marrow (BM) o f benzene treated mice, The relative adduct levels were dependent upon both benzene dose from 100-440 mg/kg and treatment time from 1 to 7 d ays, The relative adduct levels ranged between 0.11 and 1.33 adducts i n 10(7) nucleotides for WBCs and 0.16-1.21 adducts in 10(7) nucleotide s for BM, Following treatment with benzene, the levels of DNA adducts formed in WBCs were significantly correlated with the levels of DNA ad ducts formed in BM (r(2) = 0.97, P < 0.001), Our results suggest that measurement of DNA adducts in WBCs may be an indicator of DNA adduct f ormation in BM following BZ exposure.