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The role of catechols and free radicals in benzene toxicity: An oxidative DNA damage pathway
Author(s) -
Barreto George,
Madureira Diego,
Capani Francisco,
AonBertolino Laura,
Saraceno Ezequiel,
AlvarezGiraldez Lisandro Diego
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
environmental and molecular mutagenesis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1098-2280
pISSN - 0893-6692
DOI - 10.1002/em.20500
Subject(s) - hydroquinone , dna damage , chemistry , catechol , reactive oxygen species , benzene , metabolite , carcinogen , oxidative phosphorylation , radical , oxidative stress , biochemistry , toxicity , dna , mutagen , mutagenesis , mutation , organic chemistry , gene
Benzene is a widespread volatile compound and an environmental contaminant. Since it causes important toxic effects in workers exposed to low levels, long‐term exposure to this compound has been extensively studied. Leukemia, blood disorders, bone marrow depression, and some types of cancer are directly related to benzene‐initiated toxicity. Bioactivation of benzene can lead to the formation of hazardous metabolites such as phenol, hydroquinone, and catechol. Catechol forms semiquinones and reactive quinones that are presumed to play an important role in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS formation can directly induce single and double strand breaks in the DNA, oxidized nucleotides, and hyper‐recombination, and consequently produces deleterious genetic changes. In this review, we have addressed the cytotoxic effects of benzene and its main metabolite, catechol, focusing on the oxidative pathway and further DNA damage. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.