Comparative hepatocarcinogenicity of hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene, and 1,4-dichlorobenzene: application of a medium-term liver focus bioassay and molecular and cellular indices.

Of the twelve different chlorobenzene isomers, a thorough evaluation of carcinogenicity has only been assessed on monochlorobenzene, 1,2-, and 1,4-dichlorobenzene, and hexachlorobenzene. In the studies presented here, we measured the ability of 1,4-dichlorobenzene (DCB), 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene (TeCB), pentachlorobenzene (PeCB), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) to promote glutathione S-transferase pi (GSTP1-1) positive preneoplastic foci formation in rat liver, following diethylnitrosamine (DEN) initiation. The results from these studies show that TeCB, PeCB, and HCB all promote the formation of GSTP1-1 positive foci and that DCB does not. The numbers and area of foci were greatest following HCB promotion, and TeCB and PeCB were approximately equal in their promoting ability. Levels of hepatic CYP1A2, CYP2B1/2, non-focal GSTP1-1, and c-fos were measured in response to treatment with the 4 chlorobenzene isomers, as were reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels. Results from these studies show that induction of CYP1A2 and CYP2B1/2 have correlation with both the presence and degree of GSTP1-1 foci promotion by the 4 chlorobenzenes. Alterations in GSH and GSSG levels were similar in PeCB- and TeCB-treated animals in that GSSG levels were significantly decreased, whereas HCB and DCB did not have this effect, although HCB treatment led to a significant increase in GSH levels. We conclude that induction of CYP1A2 or CYP2B1/2 by chlorobenzene isomers may indicate promotional ability, and that this property might be exploited to predict the hepatocarcinogenicity of other chlorobenzene isomers.