Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Activation of bone marrow phagocytes following benzene treatment of mice

Journal Article · · Environmental Health Perspectives; (USA)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.898275· OSTI ID:7150329

Techniques in flow cytometry/cell sorting were used to characterize the effects of benzene and its metabolites on subpopulations of bone marrow cells. Treatment of male Balb/c mice with benzene or a combination of its metabolites, hydroquinone and phenol, resulted in a 30 to 40% decrease in bone marrow cellularity. Flow cytometric analysis revealed two subpopulations of bone marrow cells that could be distinguished by their size and density or granularity. The larger, more dense subpopulation was found to consist predominantly of macrophages and granulocytes as determined by monoclonal antibody binding and by cell sorting. Benzene treatment had no selective cytotoxic effects on subpopulations of bone marrow cells. To determine if benzene treatment activated bone marrow phagocytes, the authors quantified production of hydrogen peroxide by these cells using the fluorescent indicator dye, 2{prime},7{prime}-dichlorofluorescin diacetate. They found that macrophages and granulocytes from bone marrow of treated mice produced 50% more hydrogen peroxide in response to the phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate than did cells from control animals. It is hypothesized that phagocyte activation and production of cytotoxic reactive oxygen intermediates may contribute to hematotoxicity induced by benzene.

OSTI ID:
7150329
Journal Information:
Environmental Health Perspectives; (USA), Journal Name: Environmental Health Perspectives; (USA) Vol. 82; ISSN 0091-6765; ISSN EVHPA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English