title: Hematotoxicity in workers exposed to low levels of benzene.
abstract: Benzene is known to have toxic effects on the blood and bone marrow, but its impact at levels below the U.S. occupational standard of 1 part per million (ppm) remains uncertain. In a study of 250 workers exposed to benzene, white blood cell and platelet counts were significantly lower than in 140 controls, even for exposure below 1 ppm in air. Progenitor cell colony formation significantly declined with increasing benzene exposure and was more sensitive to the effects of benzene than was the number of mature blood cells. Two genetic variants in key metabolizing enzymes, myeloperoxidase and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase, influenced susceptibility to benzene hematotoxicity. Thus, hematotoxicity from exposure to benzene occurred at air levels of 1 ppm or less and may be particularly evident among genetically susceptible subpopulations.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Luoping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guilan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Roel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vermeulen
authors.forename: Rona S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Weinberg
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dosemeci
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rappaport
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Blanche P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Alter
authors.forename: Yongji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kopp
authors.forename: Suramya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waidyanatha
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rabkin
authors.forename: Weihong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chanock
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linet
authors.forename: Sungkyoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Songnian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Nathaniel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rothman
authors.forename: Martyn T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000633:toxicity*; D001554:Benzene / Q000633:toxicity*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects*; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / Q000235:genetics; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000235:genetics; D010976:Platelet Count; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D006454:Hemoglobins; D009195:Peroxidase; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); C447479:NQO1 protein, human; D001554:Benzene