MODULATION OF BENZENE INDUCED TOXICITY BY PROTEIN-A

Administration of benzene (i.p. 1.0 mL/kg body weight) for 3 consecutive days produced leucopenia and lymphocytopenia in female albino rats. In addition, the total iron content, lipid peroxidation and superoxide dismutase activity of the liver and bone marrow were significantly (P < 0.001) increased. Low molecular weight (LMW) bleomycin-detectable iron accumulated only in bone marrow. Prior administration of Protein A (PA), a multipotent immunostimulant and interferon inducer (60 mug/kg body weight, i.v. twice weekly for 2 weeks), ameliorated most of the adverse effects of benzene. PA restored the changes in hepatic histological architecture, reversed leucopenia and superoxide dismutase activity, lipid peroxidation, total iron content and LMW iron content of bone marrow were normalized. Isozymes of glutathione-S-transferase (alpha, pi, mu) which decreased following benzene exposure increased in PA pretreated benzene exposed rats. This study suggests that pretreatment with PA modulates the toxicity of benzene.