Topoisomerase inhibition by phenolic metabolites: a potential mechanism for benzene's clastogenic effects.

Exposure to benzene, a human and animal carcinogen, results in the formation of structural chromosomal aberrations in the bone marrow and blood cells of animals and humans. The mechanisms underlying these clastogenic effects are unknown. Inhibition of enzymes involved in DNA replication and repair, such as topoisomerase enzymes, by the metabolites of benzene represents a potential mechanism for the formation of chromosomal aberrations. To test this hypothesis, the inhibitory effects of various phenolic and quinone metabolites of benzene on the activity of human topoisomerases I and II were studied in vitro. No inhibition of topoisomerase I was seen with any of the tested metabolites. Inhibitory effects on topoisomerase II were not observed for hydroquinone, phenol, 2,2'-biphenol, 4,4'-biphenol and catechol at concentrations as high as 500 microM. 1,4-Benzoquinone and 1,2,4-benzenetriol inhibited topoisomerase II at relatively high 500 and 250 microM concentrations, respectively. However following bioactivation using a peroxidase/H2O2 system, inhibitory effects were seen at concentrations as low as 50 microM for both phenol and 2,2'-biphenol and 10 microM for 4,4'-biphenol. The addition of reduced glutathione (GSH) to the 4,4'-biphenol and horseradish peroxidase reaction system protected topoisomerase II from inhibition suggesting that diphenoquinone or another oxidation product formed from 4,4'-biphenol might be the reactive species. These in vitro results indicate that inhibition of topoisomerase II may contribute to the clastogenic and carcinogenic effects of benzene. In addition, metabolites formed from these phenolic compounds appear to represent several new types of topoisomerase II-inhibiting compounds.