Homologous recombination initiated by benzene metabolites: a potential role of oxidative stress.

Benzene is a ubiquitous pollutant and known human leukemogen. Benzene can be enzymatically bioactivated to reactive intermediates that can lead to increased formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS formation can directly induce DNA double-strand breaks, and also oxidize nucleotides that are subsequently converted to double-strand breaks during DNA replication that can be repaired through homologous recombination, which is not error-free. Therefore increased DNA double-strand-break levels may induce hyper-recombination, which can lead to deleterious genetic changes. To test the hypothesis that benzene and its metabolites can initiate hyper-recombination and to investigate the potential role of ROS, a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line containing a neo direct repeat recombination substrate (CHO 3-6), was used to determine whether benzene or its metabolites phenol, hydroquinone, catechol, or benzoquinone initiated increased homologous recombination and whether this increase could be diminished by the coincubation of cells with the antioxidative enzyme catalase. Results demonstrated that cells exposed to benzene (1, 10, 30, or 100 micro M) for 24 h did not exhibit increased homologous recombination. Increased recombination occurred with exposure to phenol (1.8-, 2.6-, or 2.9-fold), catechol (1.9-, 2-, 5-, or 3.2-fold), or benzoquinone (2.7-, 5.5-, or 6.9-fold) at 1, 10, and 30- micro M concentrations, respectively, and with exposure to hydroquinone at 10 and 30 micro M concentrations (1.5-1.9-fold; p < 0.05). Studies investigating the effects of catalase demonstrated that increased homologous recombination due to exposure to phenol, hydroquinone, catechol, or benzoquinone (10 micro M) could be completely abolished by the addition of catalase. These data support the hypothesis that increased homologous recombination mediates benzene-initiated toxicity and supports a role for oxidative stress in this mechanism.     

Differential gene expression profiles of human leukemia cell lines exposed to benzene and its metabolites

Benzene is a well-known environmental pollutant that can induce hematotoxicity, aplastic anemia, acute myelogenous leukemia, and lymphoma. Benzene toxicity is likely mediated through metabolites induced by means of multiple pathways. Although benzene metabolites are known to induce oxidative stress and disrupt the cell cycle, the mechanism underlying leukemogenesis is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to analyze the genome-wide expression profiles of human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells that had been exposed to benzene and its metabolites. This was carried out using whole human genome oligonucleotide microarrays to ascertain potential biomarkers. Genes that were differentially expressed (>1.5-fold and p-values <0.05) after exposure to benzene (BZ), hydroquinone (HQ), and 1,4-benzoquinone (BQ) were then classified with GO, KEGG and GSEA pathway annotation. All genes that were identified were then functionally categorized as being involved in the cell cycle, the p53 signaling pathway, apoptosis, the MAPK signaling pathway, or the T cell receptor signaling pathway. Functionally important genes were further validated by means of real-time RT-PCR. The results showed that EGR1, PMAIP1, AR, CCL2, CD69, HSPA8, SLC7A11, HERPUD1, ELK1, and MKI57 genes altered their expression profiles. Similar expression profiles were also found in human erythromyeloblastoid leukemia K562 cells and in human leukemic monocyte lymphoma U937 cells. In conclusion, gene expression profiles along with GO, KEGG and GSEA pathway annotation analysis have provided an insight into the leukemogenesis as well as highlighted potential gene-based biomarkers of human leukemia cell lines when they are exposed to benzene and its metabolites.     

Modulation of mast cell and basophil functions by benzene metabolites

Benzene is a carcinogenic compound used in industrial manufacturing and a common environmental pollutant mostly derived from vehicle emissions and cigarette smoke. Benzene exposure is associated with a variety of clinical conditions ranging from hematologic diseases to chronic lung disorders. Beside its direct toxicity, benzene exerts multiple effects after being converted to reactive metabolites such as hydroquinone and benzoquinone. Mast cells and basophils are primary effector cells involved in the development of respiratory allergies such as rhinitis and bronchial asthma and they play an important role in innate immunity. Benzene and its metabolites can influence mast cell and basophil responses either directly or by interfering with other cells, such as T cells, macrophages and monocytes, which are functionally connected to mast cells and basophils. Hydroquinone and benzoquinone inhibit the release of preformed mediators, leukotriene synthesis and cytokine production in human basophils stimulated by IgE- and non IgE-mediated agonists. Furthermore, these metabolites reduce IgE-mediated degranulation of mast cells and the development of allergic lung inflammation in rats. Both in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that benzene metabolites alter biochemical and functional activities of other immunocompetent cells and may impair immune responses in the lung. These inhibitory effects of benzene metabolites are primarily mediated by interference with early transduction signals such as PI3 kinase. Together, currently available studies indicate that benzene metabolites interfere by multiple mechanisms with the role of basophils and mast cells in innate immunity and in chronic inflammation in the lung.     

Evidence for strain-specific differences in benzene toxicity as a function of host target cell susceptibility

It has long been recognized that benzene exposure produces disparate toxic responses among different species or even among different strains within the same species. There is ample evidence that species- or strain-dependent differences in metabolic activity correlate with the disparate responses to benzene. However, bone marrow cells (the putative targets of benzene toxicity) may also exhibit species- or strain-dependent differences in susceptibility to the toxic effects of benzene. To investigate this hypothesis, two sets of companion experiments were performed. First, two strains of mice, Swiss Webster (SW) and C57B1/6J (C57), were exposed to 300 ppm benzene via inhalation and the effects of the exposures were determined on bone marrow cellularity and the development of bone marrow CFU-e (Colony Forming Unit-erythroid, an early red cell progenitor). Second, bone marrow cells from the same strains were exposed in vitro to five known benzene metabolites (1,4 benzoquinone, catechol, hydroquinone, muconic acid, and phenol) individually and in binary combinations. Benzene exposure, in vivo, reduced bone marrow cellularity and the development of CFU-e in both strains; however, reductions in both these endpoints were more severe in the SW strain. When bone marrow cells from the two strains were exposed in vitro to the five benzene metabolites individually, benzoquinone, hydroquinone, and catechol reduced the numbers of CFU-e in both strains in dose-dependent responses, phenol weakly reduced the numbers of the C57 CFU-e only and in a non-dose-dependent manner, and muconic acid was without effect on cells from either strain. Only benzoquinone and hydroquinone exhibited differential responses to CFU-e from the two strains and both of these metabolites were more toxic to SW cells than to C57 cells. Six of the ten possible binary mixtures of metabolites were differentially toxic to the CFU-e from the two strains and five of these mixtures were more toxic to SW cells than to C57 cells. Thus, SW mice were more susceptible to the toxic effects of inhaled benzene and their bone marrow cells were more severely affected by in vitro exposure to benzene metabolites. The binary combinations containing phenol produced little or no enhancement of the toxic effects of the non-phenol metabolites. The weak toxic response induced by phenol, whether delivered alone or in binary mixtures, suggests that little metabolism occurred during the 48 h of the in vitro exposures since benzoquinone and hydroquinone, which were clearly toxic when added to the CFU-e culture system, are formed by further metabolic oxidation of phenol. Thus, strain-dependent differential metabolism appeared to play a minimal role in the disparate toxicity observed in the in vitro studies, implying that the diverse responses were due to inherent differences in the susceptibilities of the CFU-e to the toxic action of the benzene metabolites.     

Modifications in the metabolic pathways of benzene in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat

Benzene is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant primarily metabolized by a cytochrome P-450 (CYP-450) isoenzyme, CYP-450 IIE1. A consistent induction of CYP450 IIE1 has been observed in both rat and human affected by diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes determines modifications in the metabolic pathways of benzene in rat. Benzene (100 mg/kg per day, dissolved in corn oil) was administered i.p. once a day for 5 days. Urine samples were collected every day in STZ-treated and normoglycaemic animals, treated and untreated with benzene (n = 10). Urinary levels of trans,trans-muconic acid and of phenol, catechol and hydroquinone (free and conjugated with sulphuryl and glucuronic group) were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In normoglycaemic rats during the 5 days of treatment with benzene we observed a progressive and significant decrement in the urinary excretion of phenol, phenyl sulphate and glucuronide, catechol, catechol glucuronide, hydroquinone, hydroquinone glucuronide and t,t-muconic acid (P < 0.05). In the diabetic animals, conversely, the same metabolites showed progressively increasing urinary levels (P < 0.05). Catechol sulphate and hydroquinone sulphate levels were below the instrument's detection limit. In the comparison between diabetic and normoglycaemic benzene treated rats, the inter-group difference was significant (P < 0.05) from day 3 of treatment for t,t-muconic acid, and from day 1 for free and conjugated phenol, free and glucuronide catechol and free hydroquinone. In the normoglycaemic rat exposed to benzene the decreasing trend observed in urinary excretion of free and conjugated metabolites may be due to their capability to reduce cytochromial activity. Conversely, in the diabetic rat, urinary levels of benzene metabolites tended to increase progressively, probably due to the consistent induction of CYP-450 IIE1 observed in diabetes, which would overwhelm the inhibition of this isoenzyme caused by phenolic metabolites. Furthermore, the metabolic switch towards detoxification metabolites observed after administration of high doses of benzene is not allowed in the diabetic because of reduced glutathione-S-transferase activity. As a consequence, higher levels of hydroquinone, phenol and catechol, considered the actual metabolites responsibles for benzene toxicity, will accumulate in the diabetic rat. Extrapolating these data to human, we may thus suggest that occupational exposure to benzene of a diabetic subject poses a higher risk level, as his metabolism tends to produce and accumulate higher levels of reactive benzene catabolites. Received: 14 December 1998 / Accepted: 23 March 1999     

DNA damage in L5178YS cells following exposure to benzene metabolites

Because DNA modification may be a prerequisite for chemical carcinogenesis, the DNA-damaging potential of benzene and its metabolites was examined in order to identify the proximate DNA-damaging agent associated with benzene exposure. A DNA synthesis inhibition assay previously identified p-benzoquinone as the most potent overall cellular toxin and inhibitor of DNA synthesis, but failed to discriminate among the hydroxylated metabolites. Therefore, the ability of benzene and its metabolites to induce DNA strand breaks in the mouse lymphoma cell line, L5178YS, was examined in order to provide a more accurate indication of the DNA damage associated with benzene and its metabolites. Cells were exposed to benzene, hydroquinone, catechol, phenol, 1,2,4-benzenetriol, or p-benzoquinone over a 1000-fold concentration range (1.0 microM-1.0 mM). Concentrations of benzene, phenol, or catechol as high as 1.0 mM did not increase the percentage of single-stranded DNA observed. Concentrations of hydroquinone as high as 0.1 mM were also ineffective. In contrast, both p-benzoquinone and 1,2,4-benzenetriol produced DNA breaks in a dose-related fashion. Of the two, benzoquinone proved to be more potent with an ED50 of approximately equal to 2.5 microM compared with 55.0 microM for benzenetriol. The DNA damage induced by 6.0 microM benzoquinone was maximal within 3 min of exposure and yielded approximately 70% single-stranded DNA after alkaline denaturation. By contrast, the single-stranded DNA observed after benzenetriol exposure required 60 min of exposure to achieve the same extent of damage as that found with benzoquinone. These results suggest that the benzene metabolites, benzenetriol and benzoquinone, may cause DNA damage and that the mechanisms responsible for the damage associated with these two compounds may be different.     

DNA methyltransferase inhibitors in cancer: a chemical and therapeutic patent overview and selected clinical studies

Introduction: DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification that modulates gene expression without altering the DNA base sequence. It plays a crucial role in cancer by silencing tumor suppressor genes (TSG). The DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) are the enzymes that catalyze DNA methylation and they are interesting therapeutical targets since DNA methylation is reversible such that an aberrant hypermethylation of DNA can be reverted by inhibition of DNMTs. Today, two drugs are on the market for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome, azacitidine and decitabine.

Areas covered: Here, we present a review of the patents describing the chemistry and biological activities of novel DNMT inhibitors and discuss select clinical studies.

Expert opinion: DNMT inhibitors have shown efficacy in clinics. However, highly efficient and specific DNMT inhibitors have not yet been identified. Improving methods will certainly lead to the prediction of novel directly binding inhibitors in the future.     

In vitro effects of benzene metabolites on mouse bone marrow stromal cells

Benzene exposure can result in bone marrow myelotoxicity. We examined the effects of benzene metabolites on bone marrow stromal cells of the hemopoietic microenvironment. Male B6C3F1 mouse bone marrow adherent stromal cells were plated at 4 X 10(6) cells per 2 ml of DMEM medium in 35-mm tissue culture dishes. The growing stromal cell cultures were exposed to log 2 doses of five benzene metabolites: hydroquinone, benzoquinone, phenol, catechol, or benzenetriol for 7 days. The dose which caused a 50% decrease in colony formation (TD50) was 2.5 X 10(-6) M for hydroquinone, 17.8 X 10(-6) M for benzoquinone, 60 X 10(-6) M for benzenetriol, 125 X 10(-6) M for catechol, and 190 X 10(-6) M for phenol. We next examined the effect of benzene metabolites on the ability of stromal cells to influence granulocyte/monocyte colony growth (G/M-CFU-C) in a coculture system. Adherent stromal cells were plated and incubated for 14 days and then exposed to a benzene metabolite. After 3 days the medium and metabolite were removed and an agar:RPMI layer containing 10(6) fresh bone marrow cells was placed over the stromal layer. After incubation for 7 days the cultures were scored for G/M colony formation. Hydroquinone and benzoquinone were most toxic, while catechol and benzenetriol inhibited colony growth only at high doses. These results indicate that injured bone marrow stromal cells may be a significant factor in benzene-induced hemotoxicity.     

吸入氢气对脓毒症小鼠海马组织 DNA甲基化的影响

目的 评价吸入氢气对脓毒症小鼠海马组织的 DNA甲基化状态的影响。方法 54只健康雄性 C57BL/6小鼠采用随机数字表法分为 3组：假手术组（Sham组）、脓毒症组（Sepsis组）和氢气治疗组（Sepsis+H2组）,每组 18只。Sepsis组和 Sepsis+H2组采用盲肠结扎穿孔法（CLP）制备小鼠脓毒症模型,Sepsis+H2组小鼠于手术后 1 h和 6 h吸入用空气混合的 2%氢气 1 h,Sham组只开腹不进行盲肠结扎和穿孔。3组小鼠于假手术或 CLP后 1、3、7 d取小鼠海马组织,比色法测定全基因组 DNA甲基化水平;实时定量 PCR法检测 DNA甲基化转移酶（DNMTs,包括 DNMT1、DNMT3a和 DNMT3b）的 mRNA水平;Western blot法检测 DNMT1、DNMT3a和 DNMT3b蛋白表达水平。结果 与 Sham组比较,Sepsis组小鼠在建模后 1、3、7 d海马组织全基因组甲基化水平明显下降（P＜0.05）,DNMT1和 DNMT3a的 mRNA和蛋白表达水平升高,DNMT3b的 mRNA和蛋白表达水平降低（P＜0.05）;与 Sepsis组比较,Sepsis+H2组全基因组甲基化水平升高（P＜0.05）,DNMT1和 DNMT3a的 mRNA和蛋白表达水平下降,DNMT3b的 mRNA和蛋白表达水平升高（P＜0.05）。结论 吸入氢气可纠正脓毒症小鼠海马组织的 DNA甲基化紊乱状态,改善 DNA甲基化紊乱状态是氢气治疗脓毒症相关性脑病的重要机制之一。     

3‐(3,4‐Dihydroxyphenyl)adenine,a urinary DNA adduct formed in mice exposed to high concentrations of benzene

Metabolism of benzene, an important environmental and industrial carcinogen, produces three electrophilic intermediates, namely, benzene oxide and 1,2‐ and 1,4‐benzoquinone, capable of reacting with the DNA. Numerous DNA adducts formed by these metabolites in vitro have been reported in the literature, but only one of them was hitherto identified in vivo. In a search for urinary DNA adducts, specific LC‐ESI‐MS methods have been developed for the determination in urine of six nucleobase adducts, namely, 7‐phenylguanine, 3‐phenyladenine, 3‐hydroxy‐3,N⁴‐benzethenocytosine, N²‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)guanine, 7‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)guanine and 3‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)‐adenine (DHPA), with detection limits of 200, 10, 260, 50, 400 and 200 pg ml^?1, respectively. Mice were exposed to benzene vapors at concentrations of 900 and 1800 mg m^?3, 6 h per day for 15 consecutive days. The only adduct detected in their urine was DHPA. It was found in eight out of 30 urine samples from the high‐exposure group at concentrations of 352 ± 146 pg ml^?1 (mean ± SD; n = 8), whereas urines from the low‐exposure group were negative. Assuming the DHPA concentration in the negative samples to be half of the detection limit, conversion of benzene to DHPA was estimated to 2.2 × 10^?6% of the absorbed dose. Thus, despite the known high mutagenic and carcinogenic potential of benzene, only traces of a single DNA adduct in urine were detected. In conclusion, DHPA is an easily depurinating adduct, thus allowing indication of only high recent exposure to benzene, but not long‐term damage to DNA in tissues. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interleukin 1β and Prostaglandin E2 affect expression of DNA methylating and demethylating enzymes in human gingival fibroblasts

Periodontitis is a common chronic inflammatory condition that results in increased levels of inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory mediators. In addition to oral disease and tooth loss, it also causes low-grade systemic inflammation that contributes to development of systemic conditions including cardiovascular disease, pre-term birth, diabetes and cancer. Chronic inflammation is associated with epigenetic change, and it has been suggested that such changes can alter cell phenotypes in ways that contribute to both ongoing inflammation and development of associated pathologies. Here we show that exposure of human gingival fibroblasts to IL-1β increases expression of maintenance methyltransferase DNMT1 but decreases expression of de novo methyltransferase DNMT3a and the demethylating enzyme TET1, while exposure to PGE2 decreases expression of all three enzymes. IL-1β and PGE2 both affect global levels of DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation, as well as methylation of some specific CpG in inflammation-associated genes. The effects of IL-1β are independent of its ability to induce production of PGE2, and the effects of PGE2 on DNMT3a expression are mediated by the EP4 receptor. The finding that exposure of fibroblasts to IL-1β and PGE2 can result in altered expression of DNA methylating/demethylating enzymes and in changing patterns of DNA methylation suggests a mechanism through which inflammatory mediators might contribute to the increased risk of carcinogenesis associated with inflammation.     

LINE-1 gene hypomethylation and p16 gene hypermethylation in HepG2 cells induced by low-dose and long-term triclosan exposure: The role of hydroxyl group

Triclosan (TCS), a frequently used antimicrobial agent in pharmaceuticals and personal care products, exerts liver tumor promoter activities in mice. Previous work showed high-dose TCS (1.25–10 μM) induced global DNA hypomethylation in HepG2 cells. However, whether or how tumor suppressor gene methylation changed in HepG2 cells after low-dose and long-term TCS exposure is still unknown. We investigate here the effects and mechanisms of DNA methylation of global DNA(GDM), repetitive genes, and liver tumor suppressor gene (p16) after exposing HepG2 cells to low-dose TCS (0.625–5 nM)for two weeks using HPLC–MS/MS, Methylight, Q-MSP, Pyrosequencing, and Massarray methods. We found that low-dose TCS exposure decreased repetitive elements LINE-1 methylation levels, but not global DNA methylation, through down-regulating DNMT1 (DNA methyltransferase 1) and MeCP2 (methylated DNA binding domain) expression, and up-regulating 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels. Interestingly, low-dose TCS elevated p16 gene methylation and inhibited p16 expression, which were not observed in high-dose (10 μM) group. Meanwhile, methyl-triclosan could not induce these two types of DNA methylation changes, suggesting the involvement of hydroxyl in TCS-mediated DNA methylation changes. Collectively, our results suggested low concentrations of TCS adversely affected HepG2 cells through DNA methylation dysregulation, and hydroxyl group in TCS played an important role in the effects. This study provided a better understanding on hepatotoxicity of TCS at environmentally relevant concentrations through epigenetic pathway.     

Analysis of aberrant methylation in DNA repair genes during malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelial cells induced by cadmium

Cadmium (Cd) and its compounds are well-known human carcinogens, but the mechanisms underlying the carcinogenesis are not entirely understood yet. Aberrant methylation was investigated in order to obtain insight into the DNA repair-related epigenetic mechanisms underlying CdCl(2)-induced malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE). Gene expression and DNA methylation were assessed in untreated control cells; 5th, 15th, and 35th passage of CdCl2-treated cells and tumorigenic cells (TCs) from nude mice by using high-performance liquid chromatography, real-time PCR, Western blot analysis, and methylation-specific PCR assay. During Cd-induced malignant transformation, global DNA methylation progressively increased and was associated with the overexpression of the DNA methyltransferase genes DNMT1 and DNMT3a but not DNMT3b. Expression of both the messenger RNA and proteins of the DNA repair genes (hMSH2, ERCC1, XRCC1, and hOGG1) progressively reduced and DNA damage increased with Cd-induced transformation. The promoter regions of hMSH2, ERCC1, XRCC1, and hOGG1 were heavily methylated in the 35th passage transformed cells and the TCs. The DNA demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine could reverse the Cd-induced global DNA hypermethylation, DNMT hyperactivity, and the silencing of hMSH2, ERCC1, XRCC1, and hOGG1 in a time-dependent manner. The results indicate that DNMT1 and DNMT3a overexpression can result in global DNA hypermethylation and silencing of the hMSH2, ERCC1, XRCC1, and hOGG1 genes. They may partly explain the epigenetic mechanisms underlying the carcinogenesis due to Cd.     

Gender- and Age-Specific Cytotoxic Susceptibility to Benzene Metabolites in Vitro

Benzene, a widely used compound, is a known carcinogen and hematopoietictoxicant. Several studies have shown gender and age differencesin the responses to benzene-induced hematotoxic-ity. It is notknown if these differences in response are due to age-or gender-associatedmetabolic differences or to age- or gender-associated differencesin the susceptibilities of the target cells. In order to addressthis issue, mouse colony-forming units-erythroid (CFU-e, anerythroid precursor cell particularly susceptible to benzenetoxicity) were cultured in the presence of either individualbenzene metabolites or binary mixtures of these metabolites.CFU-e were obtained from unexposed age-matched adult male andfemale (both virgin and pregnant) Swiss Webster (SW) mice andfrom SW male and female 16-day fetuses. The metabolites usedwere phenol, hydroquinone, catechol, benzoquinone, and trans,trans-muconic acid. The concentrations of the individual metabolitesused were 10, 20, and 40 µM. Binary mixtures of metaboliteswere prepared using the lowest concentrations of the individualmetabolites that caused cytotoxicity. These concentrations were10 µM for hydroquinone, catechol, and benzoquinone, and40 µM for phenol and muconic acid. In general, the CFU-efrom adult females (both virgin and pregnant) were more resistantto the toxic effects of the individual metabolites than CFU-efrom other subjects. CFU-e from adult males were more susceptibleto the cytotoxic effects of hydroquinone and benzoquinone thanCFU-e from other subjects and CFU-e from both male and femalefetuses were highly sensitive to the toxic effects of catechol.On the other hand, CFU-e from adult males were less susceptibleto the cytotoxic effects of catechol than CFU-e from other subjects.Similar results were observed with binary mixtures of metabolites.CFU-e from adult males were more susceptible to the binary mixturesthan CFU-e from virgin females and CFU-e from fetal males weremore susceptible than CFU-e from fetal females. In addition,CFU-e from fetuses were more resistant than CFU-e from adultsto the cytotoxic effects of those binary mixtures that did notcontain catechol. In contrast, binary mixtures containing catecholwere more toxic to fetal cells than to adult cells. These resultssuggest that differences in benzene hematotoxicity associatedwith gender and age may be due, at least in part, to intrinsicfactors at the level of the target cell rather than solely toage- or gender-related differences in the metabolism of benzene.     

Formation of reactive metabolites from benzene

Rat liver mitoplasts were incubated first with [^3H]dGTP, to form DNA labeled in G, and then with [¹⁴C]benzene. The DNA was isolated and upon isopycnic density gradient centrifugation in CsCl yielded a single fraction of DNA labeled with both [^3H] and [¹⁴C]. These data are consistent with the covalent binding of one or more metabolites of benzene to DNA. The DNA was enzymatically hydrolyzed to deoxynucleosides and chromatographed to reveal at least seven deoxyguanosine adducts. Further studies with labeled deoxyadenine revealed one adduct on deoxyadenine. [^3H]Deoxyguanosine was reacted with [¹⁴C]hydroquinone or benzoquinone. The product was characterized using uv, fluorescence, mass and NMR spectroscopy. A proposed structure is described.Dedicated to Professor Dr. med. Herbert Remmer on the occasion of his 65th birthday