The Joint Effect Of Inhaled Radon And Benzene On Blood And Bone Marrow Of Mice

Objective: To study the joint effects of radon and benzene on the blood and bone marrow of mice to provide experimental data for further study.Methods: The mice were divided into 9 groups by 3x3 factorial experimental design, with 6 mice each group. The accumulative doses of radon and its progeny were 55 and 101 Working Level Month (WLM). The mice were exposed to inhaled benzene (100 or 300 PPM) 5h/day and 5days/week for 2 weeks. Peripheral blood cells were counted to assess hematotoxicity. Superoxide Dismutase(SOD) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured to show the degree of lipid peroxidation. CFU-GM reflected the effects of inhaled radon and benzene on haematopoieti progenitor. ~3H-TdR incorporation was used to observe the effect on regeneration of the bone marrow cells.Result: It was shown that the white blood cells (WBC), Lymphocyte(Ly ) and red blood cells (RBC) decreased significantly in the high dosegroup ,SOD decreased and MDA increased significantly in the low and high dose groups of inhaled radon and its progeny.Platelet (Plt) and Hemoglobin (Hgb) decreased significantly in the high dose group of inhaled benzene. WBC, Ly, RBC and SOD decreased and MDA increased significantly in the low and high dose groups of benzene exposure. CFU-GM and ~3H-TdR incorporation did not change obviously but BMC decreased significantly.In the combined groups of inhaled radon and benzene, peripheralblood counts, Hgb and SOD decreased significantly, but MDA increased significantly. CFU-GM and BMC also decreased significantly. It was shown that radon and benzene could have interactive effects on CFU-GM, 3H-TdR incorporation, SOD and MDA.Conclusion: Radon and its progeny can stimulate regeneration of the bone marrow cells at the low dose, but can depress the bone marrow cells at the high dose. The radon and benzene could bring out strengthened toxic effects in a joint manner.