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Frameshift mutagenicity of dinitrobenzene derivatives on Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and Tm elevation of calf thymus DNA by dinitrobenzene derivatives.

1-Chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and m-dinitrobenzene were mutagenic on Salmonella typhimurium TA98 without S-9mix. But 1-substituted-2,4-dinitrobenzene derivatives which substituted by electron releasing groups such as OH-, NH2- or CH3- did not show mutagenicity on Salmonella typhimurium TA98 without S-9mix. Tm of calf thymus DNA was elevated by addition of m-dinitrobenzene or 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, and falled by addition of 1-substituted-2,4-dinitrobenzenes which substituted by electron releasing substituents such as OH-, NH2- or CH3- groups. The mutagenic dinitrobenzene derivatives such as 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene showed the special changes in the difference spectra about four bases of the DNA and this compound.

Animals↗

Vibrational coupling between the nitro groups in 1,4-dinitrobenzene and 1,3-dinitrobenzene molecules: ab initio and normal coordinate analyses treatments.

Ab initio quantum chemical computations have been performed for 1,4-dinitrobenzene and 1,3-dinitrobenzene and their (15)N isotope-labeled derivatives at the 3-21G, 6-31G and 6-31G(*) basis set levels. The results have been compared with the experiment: the best coincidence has been obtained by the 6-31G method for 1,4-dinitrobenzene and by the 6-31G(*) method for 1,3-dinitrobenzene. The isotopic frequency shifts of the nitro group bands, induced by (14)N-(15)N labeling and the vibrational coupling between the nitro groups, calculated with GAMESS software, have been in accordance with the measured ones. A normal coordinate analysis has been carried out for the 1,4-dinitro- benzene molecule using a slightly modified force field of 1,3-dinitrobenzene, reasonable fit between the observed and calculated frequencies has been obtained. The results support the conclusion that the electronic contribution to the vibrational coupling between the two nitro groups in the studied dinitrobenzenes is negligible: thus, it may be suggested that the dynamical coupling will predominate.

Journal Article↗

The response of adult rat sertoli cells, immortalized by a temperature-sensitive mutant of SV40, to 1,2-dinitrobenzene, 1,3-dinitrobenzene, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, 3,4-dinitrotoluene, and cadmium.

In this study we test the hypothesis that immortalized adult rat Sertoli cells respond to known testicular toxins in a similar manner to Sertoli cells tested in vivo and in primary culture. This cell line was developed by immortalizing adult rat Sertoli cells with the temperature-sensitive mutant of SV40, ts255, such that the cells proliferate at the permissive temperature of 33 degrees C but express differentiated characteristics at the nonpermissive temperature of 40 degrees C. Confluent monolayers, grown at 33 degrees C or 40 degrees C, were exposed to a range of concentrations of dinitrobenzene (DNB) or dinitrotoluene (DNT) isomers or to cadmium chloride. Cellular response was assessed by neutral-red cell viability assay and ultrastructural changes. Cells grown at 40 degrees C were sensitive to lower concentrations of each toxicant than were cells grown at 33 degrees C. 1,2-DNB was more toxic than 1,3-DNB, and 3,4-DNT was more toxic than 2,4-DNT, as judged by the neutral-red cell viability assay. Ultrastructurally, cells treated with 1,2-DNB or 2,4-DNT showed increased numbers of autophagic vesicles compared to controls. Intercellular penetration of ruthenium red demonstrated breached tight junctions in 1,2-DNB and cadmium-treated cells. From these observations, we conclude that this cell line can serve as a model for studying toxic mechanisms in adult Sertoli cells.

Animals↗

Induction of tolerance to 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene contact sensitivity with hapten-modified lymphoid cells. II. Selective tolerance in F1 mice of T cell subsets recognizing 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene associated with parental major histocompatibility complex antigens.

F1 animals were tolerized to 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNFB) contact sensitivity with parentally derived, in vitro hapten-modified spleen cells. This tolerant state was found, upon adoptive transfer to naive parental strain recipients, to affect only that T cell subpopulation that recognized the parental haplotype of the cell used as the tolerogen, and did not inhibit the ability of the remaining T cell subset to confer immunity. This demonstrates that this tolerant state involves the inactivation of a cell required for the expression of contact sensitivity by recognizing DNFB in association with self major histocompatibility complex gene products.

Animals↗

1,3-Dinitrobenzene metabolism and GSH depletion.

Previous work demonstrated that the mitochondrial fraction of rat seminiferous tubules is capable of metabolizing 1,3-dinitrobenzene, using NADPH as a cofactor. Moreover, 1,3-dinitrobenzene treatment of rat tubules caused a decrease in mitochondrial GSH levels. In situ mitochondrial metabolism of 1,3-dinitrobenzene may have caused this depletion through the production of reactive oxygen intermediates, generating oxidative stress and/or one or more metabolites of 1,3-dinitrobenzene which reacted nonenzymatically with GSH. The goal of this study is to investigate which of these two potential mechanisms may have caused the observed GSH depletion. Liver microsomes, known to rapidly metabolize 1,3-dinitrobenzene, generated the superoxide anion radical when incubated with 1,3-dinitrobenzene and NADPH. However, with the seminiferous tubule mitochondria, no oxygen radicals were detected. Hence, the aforementioned GSH depletion is unlikely due to the production of reactive oxygen intermediates from in situ mitochondrial metabolism of 1,3-dinitrobenzene. To investigate the ability of 1,3-dinitrobenzene metabolites to deplete seminiferous tubule mitochondrial GSH, mitochondria were incubated with 1,3-dinitrobenzene and NADPH. Loss of GSH correlated with the appearance of the 1,3-dinitrobenzene metabolites, nitrophenylhydroxylamine and nitroaniline. Subsequent investigation demonstrated that the metabolites, nitrosonitrobenzene, known to react nonenzymatically with nonprotein sulfhydryls, and nitrophenylhydroxylamine both oxidized seminiferous tubule mitochondrial GSH. Further studies suggested that nitrophenylhydroxylamine could deplete GSH via a free radical mechanism. In aqueous solution, this metabolite was shown to exist in equilibrium with a radical form, thought to be the hydronitroxide radical. The addition of GSH eliminated the signal, implying that the radical reacted nonenzymatically with GSH. In conclusion, the data in this study suggest that the decrease in mitochondrial GSH observed in DNB-treated seminiferous tubules is due to the formation of NPHA and NNB and not reactive oxygen intermediates.

Aniline Compounds↗

Modulation of m-dinitrobenzene and m-nitrosonitrobenzene toxicity in rat Sertoli--germ cell cocultures.

Previous work has shown that m-dinitrobenzene is a testicular toxicant in rats in vivo, and in vitro produces comparable morphological changes in rat testicular Sertoli-germ cell cocultures. m-Dinitrobenzene is metabolized both in vivo and in the in vitro system to m-nitroaniline m-nitroaniline and m-nitroacetanilide. These metabolites do not provoke testicular toxicity in vivo or in vitro. We have therefore proposed a pathway for the metabolism of m-dinitrobenzene to m-nitroaniline and m-nitroacetanilide, which involved the intermediate m-nitrosonitrobenzene (1-nitroso-3-nitrobenzene, NNB). When tested, m-nitrosonitrobenzene, at equimolar doses to m-dinitrobenzene, produced similar morphological changes in the culture system to those exhibited by m-dinitrobenzene. However, m-nitrosonitrobenzene produced a greater toxicity than did m-dinitrobenzene (as measured by germ cell detachment). When the intracellular thiol levels were reduced in the cocultures pretreated with diethyl maleate, the toxicity of both m-dinitrobenzene and m-nitrosonitrobenzene was enhanced. In contrast, pretreatment of cocultures with agents known to increase cellular thiol (cysteamine) or scavenge reactive intermediates (cysteamine or ascorbate) reduced the toxicity of m-dinitrobenzene and m-nitrosonitrobenzene. We propose that m-dinitrobenzene requires metabolic activation before it can exert its toxicity to Sertoli cells, and it appears that the toxic species is m-nitrosonitrobenzene or a further metabolite of m-nitrosonitrobenzene.

Animals↗

Relationship between 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene-induced cytoskeletal perturbations and cellular glutathione.

Exposure of 3T3 cells to micromolar doses of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, a substrate for glutathione-S-transferase, resulted in a rapid depletion of total cellular glutathione accompanied by disassembly of microtubules as visualized by fluorescence microscopy. However, prolonged incubation resulted in cellular recovery from 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene insult as evidenced by a steady rise in total cellular glutathione accompanied by microtubule reassembly to their normal organization 5 hours after treatment. To evaluate the role of total cellular glutathione in modulating the 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene-induced cytoskeletal perturbation, we used 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and/or buthionine sulfoximine, an effective irreversible inhibitor of glutathione synthesis, to manipulate cellular glutathione levels. Incubation of 3T3 cells with 2.5 microM 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and 250 microM buthionine sulfoximine for 5 hours resulted in a complete depletion of total cellular glutathione accompanied by essentially complete loss of microtubules and marked alterations in the density and distribution pattern of microfilaments. Buthionine sulfoximine enhanced markedly the extent and duration of cellular glutathione depletion and the severity of microtubule disruption of 3T3 cells over the level achieved by 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene treatment alone. Furthermore, buthionine sulfoximine also prevented the restoration of cellular glutathione content and microtubule reassembly that normally were evident 5 hours after 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene treatment. Exposure of 3T3 cells to 50 microM 2-cyclohexene-1-one, which depletes free glutathione by conjugation, resulted in a complete depletion of total cellular glutathione content without altering the microtubule organization. These results suggest that the total glutathione content may be important for cellular recovery from 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene-mediated cytoskeletal injuries, and that microtubule disassembly observed in 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene-treated cells probably results from depletion of cellular glutathione coupled with binding to tubulin and/or other microtubule components.

Animals↗

Beneficial effects of GW274150 treatment on the development of experimental colitis induced by dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid.

Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, oxidative and nitrosative stress, and leukocyte infiltration in the colon. Here, we investigate the effects of the selective iNOS-inhibitor (S)-2-amino-(1-iminoethylamino)-5-thiopentanoic acid (GW274150) on the development of experimental colitis induced by dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid. When compared to dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-treated mice, GW274150 (5 mg/kg i.p.)-treated mice subjected to dinitrobenzene sulfonic ACID-induced colitis experienced a significantly lower rate of the extent and severity of the histological signs of colon injury. Dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-treated mice experienced hemorrhagic diarrhoea and weight loss. At 4 days after the administration of dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid, the mucosa of the colon exhibited large areas of necrosis. Immunohistochemistry for nitrotyrosine and poly (ADP-ribose) (PAR) showed an intense staining in the inflamed colon. Treatment of dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-treated mice with GW274150 significantly reduced the degree of hemorrhagic diarrhoea and weight loss caused by administration of dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid. GW274150 also caused a substantial reduction of (i) the degree of colon injury, (ii) the rise in myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity (mucosa), (iii) the increase in staining (immunohistochemistry) for nitrotyrosine, as well as (iv) PARP activation caused by dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid in the colon. Thus, GW274150 treatment reduced the degree of colitis caused by dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid. We propose that selective inhibition of iNOS activity with GW274150 may be useful in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Animals↗

Transfer and trapping of excitation energy in photosystem II as studied by chlorophyll alpha 2 fluorescence quenching by dinitrobenzene and carotenoid triplet. The matrix model.

1. The curves representing the reciprocal fluorescence yield of chlorophyll alpha of Photosystem II (PS II) in Chlorella vulgaris as a function of the concentration of m-dinitrobenzene in the states P Q and P Q-, are found to be straight parallel lines; P is the primary donor and Q the primary acceptor of PS II. In the weakly trapping state P Q- the half-quenching of dinitrobenzene is about 0.2 mM, in vitro it is of the order of 10 mM. The fluorescence yield as a function of the concentration of a quencher is described for three models for the energy transfer between the units, and the matrix model. If it is assumed that the rate constant of quenching by dinitrobenzene is high and thus the number of dinitrobenzene molecules per reaction center low, it can be concluded that the pigment system of PS II in C. vulgaris is a matrix of chlorophyll molecules in which the reaction centers are embedded. Theoretical and experimental evidence is consistent with such an assumption. For Cyanidium caldarium the zero fluorescence yield phi 0 and its quenching by dinitrobenzene were found to be much smaller than the corresponding quantities for C. vulgaris. Nevertheless, our measurements on C. caldarium could be interpreted by the assumption that the essential properties (rate constants, dinitrobenzene quenching) of PS II are the same for these two species belonging to such widely different groups. 2. The measured dinitrobenzene concentrations required for half-quenching in vivo and other observations are explained by (non-rate-limiting) energy transfer between the chlorophyll alpha molecules of PS II and by the assumptions that dinitrobenzene is approximately distributed at random in the membrane and does not diffuse during excitation. 3. The fluorescence kinetics of C. vulgaris during a 350 ns laser flash of variable intensity could be simulated on a computer using the matrix model. From the observed fluorescence quenching by the carotenoid triplet (CT) and the measurement of the the number of CT per reaction center via difference absorption spectroscopy, the rate constant for quenching of CT is calculated to be kT = 3.3 . 10(11)s-1 which is almost equal to the rate constant of trapping by an open reaction center (Duysens, L.N.M. (1979) CIBA Foundation Symposium 61 (New Series), pp. 323--340). 4. The fluorescence quenching by CT in non-treated spinach chloroplasts after a 500 ns laser flash (Breton, J., Geacintov, N.E. and Swenberg, C.E. (1979) Biochim, Biophys. Acta 548, 616--635) could be explained within the framework of the matrix model when the value for kT is used as given in point 3. 5. The observations mentioned under point 1 indicate that the fluorescence yield phi 0 for centers in trapping state P Q is probably for a fraction exceeding 0.8 emitted by PS II.

Carotenoids↗

1,3-Dinitrobenzene metabolism and protein binding.

1,3-Dinitrobenzene is a testicular toxicant, which produces a lesion in the seminiferous tubules of the rat. In the present study, we investigated which subcellular fractions of the seminiferous tubules are capable of 1,3-dinitrobenzene metabolism and protein adduct formation. Subcellular fractions of the liver were used as positive controls and to further investigate potentially important binding proteins. Microsomes, cytosol, and mitochondria prepared from each tissue were incubated with 200 microM [(14)C]1,3-dinitrobenzene and 2 mM NADH or NADPH. Since nitroreduction is an oxygen sensitive metabolic pathway, incubations were carried out in the presence and absence of oxygen. Under anaerobic conditions, 1,3-dinitrobenzene was metabolized to nitroaniline and/or nitrophenylhydroxylamine. Metabolite formation was inhibited under aerobic conditions, suggesting the presence of an oxygen-dependent redox-cycle. For the seminiferous tubules, no metabolites were generated under aerobic conditions. In the absence of oxygen, only the mitochondria produced 1,3-dinitrobenzene metabolites. For the liver, under anaerobic conditions, all three subcellular fractions produced 1,3-dinitrobenzene metabolites with the microsomes containing the greatest activity. However, under aerobic conditions, only the microsomes generated metabolites. One-dimensional gel electrophoresis demonstrated that protein adduct formation within the liver and seminiferous tubule subcellular fractions correlated with metabolite formation. Addition of GSH to seminiferous tubule mitochondrial incubations decreased the amount of (14)C-labeled protein. Moreover, when seminiferous tubule mitochondria were incubated with 1,3-dinitrobenzene at an increased protein concentration, radioactive labeling of a 54 kDa protein became more prominent. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of liver mitochondrial protein incubated with [(14)C]1,3-dinitrobenzene and NADPH yielded three predominantly radiolabeled proteins of the same approximate size (54 kDa). Amino acid sequencing identified each of these proteins as rat mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Cholinergic pathways modulate experimental dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid colitis in rats.

Recent studies have suggested that neuroimmune interactions modulate intestinal mucosal immune responses. In the current study, we examined the role of cholinergic pathways in modulating the severity of acute dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid colitis, using pharmacological agents to suppress acetylcholinesterase in Sprague-Dawley rats, and evaluating the colitis in the cholinergic hyperresponsive Flinder's sensitive line rats and their control counterparts, the Flinder's resistant line. Colitis was induced by intrarectal dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (80 mg x ml(-1) in 50% ethanol); controls received intrarectal saline. Sprague-Dawley rats received an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, physostigmine (50 microg x kg(-1) s.c.) or neostigmine (50 microg x kg(-1) s.c.), 30 min prior to intrarectal dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid; controls received saline vehicle. On day 5, the macroscopic damage score, myeloperoxidase activity (an estimate of granulocyte infiltration) and smooth muscle thickness were evaluated in the inflamed colonic segment. Significant increases in macroscopic damage score and colonic smooth muscle thickness were observed in Sprague-Dawley and Flinder's Resistant Line rats on day 5 following intrarectal dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid compared to saline controls. Increased myeloperoxidase activity was also observed in dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-treated Sprague-Dawley rats and Flinder's Resistant Line rats. In contrast, Flinder's Sensitive Line rats failed to demonstrate a significant rise in macroscopic damage, smooth muscle layer thickness, or myeloperoxidase activity on day 5 following intrarectal dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid when compared to saline-treated Flinder's Sensitive Line controls. Neostigmine and physostigmine treatment prior to intrarectal dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid significantly attenuated macroscopic damage score, myeloperoxidase activity and smooth muscle thickness on day 5 compared to colitic Sprague-Dawley controls. Significantly greater reductions in myeloperoxidase activity were observed with physostigmine vs. neostigmine pretreatment. These data suggest that cholinergic pathways modulate the acute colonic inflammatory response associated with the dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid model, with central pathways exerting a greater protective effect relative to peripheral pathways. Further studies are required to determine the contributions of sites in the nervous system and neuro-effector junctions.

Animals↗

Mutagenicity of halogenated and other substituted dinitrobenzenes in Salmonella typhimurium TA100 and derivatives deficient in glutathione (TA100/GSH-) and nitroreductase (TA100NR).

In a previous study, it was shown that 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) was less mutagenic in a glutathione (GSH)-deficient derivative of Salmonella typhimurium TA100 (TA100/GSH-) than in TA100 itself, suggesting that the mutagenicity of the compound is dependent on GSH, possibly mediated by the action of a bacterial nitroreductase(s) on the CDNB-GSH conjugate. In the present study a series of mutagenicity tests were performed to determine how CDNB could be activated after reaction with GSH. In liquid preincubation assays, strains TA100, TA100/GSH- and TA100NR, a nitroreductase-deficient derivative of TA100, were treated with CDNB and its fluoro and bromo analogues (FDNB and BDNB), further with its GSH conjugate (S-GSH-DNB) and possible metabolic products, such as S-cysteine-dinitrobenzene (S-Cys-DNB) and S-methyl-dinitrobenzene (S-methyl-DNB), and with 2 more analogues, O-methyl-dinitrobenzene (O-methyl-DNB) and dinitrobenzene (DNB). CDNB, FDNB and BDNB were found to be mutagenic in TA100 and TA100NR, while TA100/GSH- was much less sensitive to the mutagenic action of these halogenated dinitrobenzenes. DNB, O-methyl-DNB, S-methyl-DNB and S-Cys-DNB induced equal numbers of His+ revertants in TA100 and TA100/GSH-, but were not mutagenic in TA100NR. S-GSH-DNB showed no mutagenic activity in any of the 3 strains under the present experimental conditions. These results suggest that the halogenated aromatics may react with bacterial DNA and produce pre-mutagenic alterations according to 2 mechanisms: direct attack on the DNA through nucleophilic substitution (SN2) of the halogen atoms; activation through GSH conjugation and subsequent nitroreduction of the conjugate or its metabolic products to more reactive intermediates.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Application of ELISA techniques to metabolic disposition studies for 1,3-dinitrobenzene: comparison with HPLC and radiochemical methods.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is reported for the detection and quantitation of 1,3-dinitrobenzene, a widely used chemical intermediate in industrial syntheses and potent testicular toxicant in rats. Radiolabeled [14C]-1,3-dinitrobenzene (25 mg/kg, ip) was administered to rats, and the blood disappearance curve generated with the ELISA assay was compared with HPLC separation and quantitation by using both UV and radiochemical methods. An excellent correlation was found between the two methods. Matrix effects from the blood samples were minimal. Cross reactivity with metabolites of 1,3-dinitrobenzene occurred only at levels that were 3 orders of magnitude greater than for the parent compound. The specificity of the ELISA for 1,3-dinitrobenzene was further demonstrated with a variety of other nitroaromatic compounds, of which only 2,4-dinitrotoluene showed significant cross reactivity. The sensitivity and specificity of the 1,3-dinitrobenzene ELISA demonstrate the usefulness of an approach which, if verified with conventional analytical methods, allows rapid and inexpensive measurement of xenobiotic levels in biological samples.

Animals↗

Catabolism of 1,3-dinitrobenzene by Rhodococcus sp. QT-1.

The 1,3-dinitrobenzene-degrading Rhodococcus strain QT-1 was isolated under nitrogen limiting conditions from contaminated soil samples. Experimental data indicate tha 1,3-dinitrobenzene is metabolized via 4-nitrocatechol. Both compounds were oxidized by resting cells and nitro groups were completely eliminated as nitrite. Strain QT-1 utilizes both 1,3-dinitrobenzene and 4-nitrocatechol as source of nitrogen in the absence as well as in the presence of high amounts of ammonia. Growth on 4-nitrocatechol does not induce the enzyme(s) for the initial oxidation of 1,3-dinitrobenzene.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

Relationship between red blood cell uptake and methemoglobin production by nitrobenzene and dinitrobenzene in vitro.

Nitrobenzene increases methemoglobin formation when incubated with native hemoglobin but not when incubated with red blood cell suspensions. These experiments were designed to determine if transport of nitrobenzene across the red blood cell membrane is a limiting factor for methemoglobin production by red blood cell suspensions. Incubation of [14C]-m-, o- or p-dinitrobenzene, but not mononitrobenzene, with red blood cell suspensions caused a time-dependent increase in methemoglobin. All three dinitrobenzenes and mononitrobenzene crossed the red blood cell membrane and accumulated in the erythrocytes after only 1 min of incubation. Incubation of mononitrobenzene with hemolysates did not result in methemoglobin production. Incubation of red blood cells with the dinitrobenzenes or mononitrobenzene for 1 and 10 min at 4 degrees C did not influence red blood cell uptake of the nitrobenzenes, suggesting that these compounds do not enter the red blood cell by an active process. Dinitrobenzene-induced methemoglobin production was markedly inhibited at 4 degrees C, and may be a result of decreased interaction with hemoglobin and/or decreased metabolism to reactive intermediates which mediate methemoglobin production. These data indicate that red blood cell transport of nitrobenzene is not the limiting factor in methemoglobin production in vitro.

Animals↗

A comparison of the effects of the three isomers of dinitrobenzene on the testis in the rat.

Sexually mature Alpk/AP (Wistar derived) rats were killed 5 days after a single oral dose of 50 mg/kg of the 1,2-, 1,3-, or 1,4-isomers of dinitrobenzene. Testis weight reductions accompanied by testicular lesions were observed in the animals dosed with 1,3-dinitrobenzene (1,3-DNB) while the 1,2- and 1,4-isomers were without effect on the testis. However, 1,4-dinitrobenzene, but not 1,2-dinitrobenzene, was of a potency similar to that of 1,3-DNB in producing cyanosis and splenic enlargement in these animals, indicating that different mechanisms are probably responsible for these two toxic effects. In a subsequent study the pathogenesis of the testicular damage resulting from a single oral dose of 5, 10, 15, or 25 mg 1,3-DNB/kg was studied in sexually mature rats. Animals were killed 6, 12, 24, 48, and 96 hr after dosing and a detailed histopathological examination of the testes and selected tissues was made. At 12 hr after a single oral dose of 25 mg/kg, 1,3-DNB produced testicular lesions limited to Stages VIII to XI of the spermatogenic cycle. By 24 hr widespread Sertoli cell damage was evident and in some tubules was associated with degeneration of primary spermatocytes. Ultrastructural examination at this time confirmed that there were effects on Sertoli cells in the absence of germ cell damage. Similar effects were seen 48 hr after a single oral dose of 15 mg 1,3-DNB/kg. Doses of 5 or 10 mg 1,3-DNB/kg were without effect on the testis. The Sertoli cell is implicated as the prime target for the toxic action of 1,3-DNB with germ cell damage a secondary event.

Administration, Oral↗