Interphase cytogenetics of workers exposed to benzene

Journal Article · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1996 · Environmental Health Perspectives

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.961041325· OSTI ID:472180

Zhang, L; Wang, Yunxia; Venkatesh, P ^[1]

---

1. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); and others

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a powerful new technique that allows numerical chromosome aberrations (aneuploidy) to be detected in interphase cells. In previous studies, FISH has been used to demonstrate that the benzene metabolites hydroquinone and 1,2,4-benzenetriol induce aneuploidy of chromosomes 7 and 9 in cultures of human cells. In the present study, we used an interphase FISH procedure to perform cytogenetic analyses on the blood cells of 43 workers exposed to benzene (median=31 ppm, 8-hr time-weighted average) and 44 matched controls from Shanghai, China. High benzene exposure (>31 ppm, n=22) increased the hyperdiploid frequency of chromosome 9 (p<0.01), but lower exposure (<31 ppm, n=21) did not. Trisomy 9 was the major form of benzene-induced hyperdiploidy. The level of hyperdiploidy in exposed workers correlated with their urinary phenol level (r= 0.58, p < 0.0001), a measure of internal benzene close. A significant correlation was also found between hyperdiploicly and decreased absolute lymphocyte count, an indicator of benzene hematotoxicity, in the exposed group (r=-0.44, p=0.003) but not in controls (r=-0.09, P=0.58). These results show that high benzene exposure induces aneuploidy of chromosome 9 in nondiseased individuals, with trisomy being the most prevalent form. They further highlight the usefulness of interphase cytogenetics and FISH for the rapid and sensitive detection of aneuploidy in exposed human populations. 35 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 472180
• Report Number(s): CONF-9506288--
• Journal Information: Environmental Health Perspectives, Journal Name: Environmental Health Perspectives Journal Issue: Suppl.6 Vol. 104; ISSN EVHPAZ; ISSN 0091-6765
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BASIC STUDIES
ANEUPLOIDY
BENZENE
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
CARCINOGENS
CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATIONS
DOSES
FLUORESCENCE
GENETIC EFFECTS
LEUKEMIA
METABOLITES
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
QUINONES