SHORT COMMUNICATION: Detection of DNA adducts in the white blood cells of B6C3F1 mice treated with benzene

We have employed the P1-enhanced 32P-postlabeling procedure to detect the formation DNA of adducts in the white blood cells (WBC) of B6C3F1 mice treated by i.p. injection with benzene. Treatment twice a day with 440 mg/kg benzene for 1-7 days resulted in the formation of one major (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) of 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 days. The relative adduct levels ranged between 0.11 and 1.33 adducts in 10(7) nucleotides for WBCs and 0.16-1.21 adducts in 10(7) nucleotides for BM. Following treatment with benzene, the levels of DNA adducts formed in WBCs were significantly correlated with the levels of DNA adducts formed in BM (r2 = 0.97, P < 0.001). Our results suggest that measurement of DNA adducts in WBCs may be an indicator of DNA adduct formation in BM following BZ exposure.