TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of catechols and free radicals in benzene toxicity
T2 - An oxidative DNA damage pathway
AU - Barreto, George
AU - Madureira, Diego
AU - Capani, Francisco
AU - Aon-Bertolino, Laura
AU - Saraceno, Ezequiel
AU - Alvarez-Giraldez, Lisandro Diego
PY - 2009/12
Y1 - 2009/12
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Benzene
KW - Catechol
KW - DNA damage
KW - Reactive oxygen species
KW - Toxicity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=73249129740&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/em.20500
DO - 10.1002/em.20500
M3 - Review article
C2 - 19449395
AN - SCOPUS:73249129740
SN - 0893-6692
VL - 50
SP - 771
EP - 780
JO - Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis
JF - Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis
IS - 9
ER -