The inhalation toxicology of benzene: Incidence of hematopoietic neoplasms and hematotoxicity in AKRJ and C57BL6J mice

https://doi.org/10.1016/0041-008X(80)90202-1Get rights and content

Abstract

AKRJ mice and C57BL6J mice were given lifetime exposures to 100 and 300 ppm benzene, respectively. Peripheral blood cell counts were obtained biweekly throughout the exposures. Anemia and lymphocytopenia were produced in benzene-exposed AKR mice. Twenty percent of the exposed AKR mice developed bone marrow hypoplasia, compared to 2% for the controls. The benzene exposures did not alter the incidence or induction time of the viral-induced lymphomas commonly seen in AKR mice. In C57BL mice, exposure to benzene produced anemia, lymphocytopenia, and neutrophilia accompanied by a left shift. Thirteen (33%) of the exposed C57BL mice developed bone marrow hyperplasia and in four of these mice, hyperplasia was essentially limited to granulopoietic elements. None of the control C57BL mice developed bone marrow hyperplasia. In benzene-exposed C57BL mice there was a significant increase in the incidence of hematopoietic neoplasms including six cases (15%) of thymic lymphoma. Although two control mice (5%) died with lymphoma neither of these tumors involved the thymus. Thymic lymphoma is rare in C57BL mice but can be produced by ionizing radiation and chemical carcinogens.

References (34)

  • T.B. Dunn et al.

    Reticulum cell neoplasm, Type B, or the “Hodgkin's-like lesion” of the mouse

    J. Nat. Cancer Inst.

    (1968)
  • H.J. Igel et al.

    Mouse leukemia virus activation by chemical carcinogens

    Science

    (1969)
  • N. Imamura et al.

    Synergistic action of N-nitrosobutyl-urea and azathioprine in induction of leukemia in C57BL mice

    Gann

    (1973)
  • R.R. Kahn et al.

    Variability in AKR mouse leukemia mortality

    J. Nat. Cancer Inst.

    (1973)
  • H.S. Kaplan

    On the natural history of murine leukemias

    Cancer Res.

    (1967)
  • J.S. Latta et al.

    Effects on the blood and hemopoietic organs of the albino rat of repeated administration of benzene

    Arch. Pathol.

    (1941)
  • Cited by (0)

    1

    Deceased.

    View full text