title: Hematological effects of 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNB) in rats in vivo and in vitro.
abstract: We studied the hematological effects of single and repeated exposure to 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNB) in rats. Male F-344 rats were gavaged with TNB at 35.5 and 71 mg/kg in corn oil. Blood was collected 5 h and 24 h after a single oral dose or 24 h after daily oral doses for 4 or 10 d in four different set of experiments. A dose-dependent methemoglobinemia was present only in blood collected 5 h after a single dose. A highly significant dose-dependent anemia with reduced red cells, hemoglobin, and hemotocrit was present in rats receiving TNB for 4 or 10 d. A dose-dependent decrease in serum triglycerides was present in rats receiving TNB for 10 d. There was no hemolysis when rat erythrocytes were incubated with TNB (in vitro) for 9 h. Spectral changes of hemoglobin recorded during the incubation with TNB confirm methemoglobin formation and progressive denaturation of hemoglobin-forming hemichromes. The significance of methemoglobin and hemichrome formation is discussed, and a probable hypothesis for the hemolytic anemia is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater 74078, USA.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Chandra
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Qualls
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Meinkoth
mesh_terms: D000743:Anemia, Hemolytic / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced; D000818:Animals; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008708:Methemoglobinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014301:Trinitrobenzenes