[Changes in lysosomal activity of beta-glucuronidase in leukocytes of rats exposed to benzene under selenic protection].

The authors demonstrated that a chronic exposure to benzene caused in rats a reduction in the number of lymphocytes in peripheral blood, decrease in beta-glucoronidase (BG) activity in neutrophils and increase in BG-positive lymphocytes fraction. In addition, a failure was found in lysosomes of lymphocytes, revealed by scattering of a given enzyme in cytoplasma. Administration of 1.0 microgram/kg for 10 consecutive days before benzene exposure, did not prevent lymphocytopenia but hampered BG activity decrease in neutrophils as well as a damage to lymphocytic lysosomes. Administration of 5.0 microgram/kg for 10 successive days prior to benzene exposure, prevented lymphocytopenia and caused a reactive increase in the amount of neutrophils and resulted in an increase of BG-positive lymphocytes fraction, especially those with cytoplasmatic localization of enzyme. The results obtained demonstrate that only a smaller dose of selenium protected lysosomal membrane of lymphocytes from toxic effects of benzene, whereas both selenium doses protect BG in neutrophils.