Identification of 1-Adenine DNA Adducts in Workers Occupationally Exposed to Styrene

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Abstract
Styrene is an extensively used industrial chemical that has been classified as a possible human carcinogen. The possible carcinogenicity may be related to the covalent DNA binding properties of styrene 7,8-oxide, a major metabolite of styrene. We have developed a sensitive and a highly specific phosphorus-32–postlabeling method for the determination of 1-styrene 7,8-oxide-adenine DNA adducts. These adducts were analyzed in white blood cells from workers exposed to styrene at mean level of 76.2 mg/m3. Three of nine exposed workers showed adducts above the detection limit; the mean was 0.79 ± 0.14 1-styrene 7,8-oxide-adenine DNA adducts/109 nucleotides. None of the 11 control cells showed adducts above the detection limit, which was 0.4 adducts/109 nucleotides. The results show a potential of 1-adenine DNA adducts for predicting risks in the workers exposed to styrene.