Metabolism of trans,trans-muconaldehyde by aldehyde and alcohol dehydrogenases: identification of a novel metabolite

Benzene's toxicity: a consolidated short review of human and animal studies by HA Khan

Khan's review is a brief summary of the complex field of study revolving around bone marrow toxicity and leukemogenesis observed in people chronically exposed to benzene. These comments are intended to demonstrate the use of the Kahn review as a launching pad for an in-depth analysis of the several related areas that must be fully explored to understand benzene-related diseases. The accumulated evidence demonstrates that benzene-induced bone marrow damage results from the production of hematotoxins that are metabolic products of benzene metabolism. The metabolism of benzene is described with respect to the formation benzene metabolites with emphasis on phenol and hydroquinone, which are the major metabolites, the significance of the formation of glutathione conjugates, the activity of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), and the ring opening products. Results are shown suggesting that oxidative stress induced by benzene metabolites is likely to be a significant factor in damaging DNA in bone marrow cells. Although a variety of effects on bone marrow can be demonstrated it is not yet clear which metabolites are most important in either benzene-induced aplastic anemia or leukemia. Benzene metabolism alone is insufficient to fully describe benzene toxicity. The impact of benzene metabolites on bone marrow cells must be fully explored to determine how benzene exposure can result in decreased viability or genetic toxicity to cells in the bone marrow. Human & Experimental Toxicology (2007) 26, 687— 696

Modeling the formation and reactions of benzene metabolites

One or more of the muconaldehyde isomers is a putative product of benzene metabolism. As muconaldehydes are highly reactive dienals and potentially mutagenic they might be relevant to the carcinogenicity of benzene. Muconaldehydes may be derived through the action of a cytochrome P450 mono-oxygenase on benzene oxide-oxepin, which are established metabolites of benzene. Oxidation of benzene oxide-oxepin either by the one-electron oxidant cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate (CAN) or by iron(III) tris(1,10-phenanthroline) hexafluorophosphate in acetone at -78 degrees C or acetonitrile at -40 degrees C gave (E,Z)-muconaldehyde, which was a single diastereoisomer according to analysis by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Reaction of toluene-1,2-oxide/2-methyloxepin with CAN gave (2E,4Z)-6-oxo-hepta-2,4-dienal. Similarly, the action of CAN on 1,6-dimethylbenzene oxide-2,7-dimethyloxepin gave (3Z,5E)-octa-3,5-diene-2,7-dione. In vivo, benzene oxide-oxepin could suffer one-electron oxidation by cytochrome P450 mono-oxygenase giving (E,Z)-muconaldehyde. The observations presented may be relevant to the toxicology of benzene oxide-oxepin and other arene oxide-oxepins as we have previously shown that (E,Z)-muconaldehyde, analogously to (Z,Z)-muconaldehyde, affords pyrrole adducts with the exocyclic amino groups of the DNA bases adenine and guanine. Independent of their possible toxicological significance, the experiments described provide preparatively useful routes to (E,Z)-muconaldehyde and its congeners. Methods are also described for the trapping and analysis of reactive benzene metabolites, e.g. using the Diels-Alder reaction with the dienophile 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione to trap arene oxides and with the diene 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran to trap enals.

Metabolic basis of benzene toxicity

Potential metabolic mechanisms underlying the haemopoietic toxicity of benzene include bioactivation of phenolic metabolites of benzene by peroxidases in bone marrow and ring opening reactions to generate muconate derivatives. Peroxidase-mediated activation of phenolic metabolites of benzene generates reactive quinones which can be detoxified by NAD(P)H:quinone acceptor oxidoreductase (NQO1). The major peroxidase enzyme in bone marrow is myeloperoxidase (MPO) and potential target cells for phenolic metabolites of benzene were characterized in bone marrow stroma on the basis of high MPO:NQO1 ratios. MPO was found to be expressed at the level of myeloid progenitor cells in both murine (lineage negative cells) and human (CD34+ cells) systems. This suggests that progenitor cells may be relevant targets of phenolic metabolites of benzene resulting in aberrant haemopoiesis. A polymorphism in NQO1 is also described which leads to a complete lack of NQO1 activity. The toxicological significance of this polymorphism with respect to benzene toxicity is under investigation.

ATSDR evaluation of health effects of benzene and relevance to public health

As part of its mandate, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) prepares toxicological profiles on hazardous chemicals found at Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) National Priorities List (NPL) sites that have the greatest public health impact. These profiles comprehensively summarize toxicological and environmental information. This article constitutes the release of portions of the Toxicological Profile for Benzene. The primary purpose of this article is to provide public health officials, physicians, toxicologists, and other interested individuals and groups with an overall perspective on the toxicology of benzene. It contains descriptions and evaluations of toxicological studies and epidemiological investigations and provides conclusions, where possible, on the relevance of toxicity and toxicokinetic data to public health.

Pharmacokinetics and Disposition of Silodosin (KMD-3213)

After a single oral dose of silodosin in male rats, male dogs and healthy human male volunteers, C(max) occurred within about 2 h, indicating rapid absorption. The elimination half-life was about 2 h in rat and dog, but 4.7 h (fasted) and 6.0 h (non-fasted) in humans. Absolute bioavailability values in rat, dog and human were about 9, 25 and 32%, respectively. In rat and dog, total blood clearance was almost equivalent to the hepatic blood flow, but that in human was low (20%), demonstrating a large species difference in hepatic clearance. In each species, the apparent volume of distribution exceeded the volume of total body water. After an oral dose of (14)C-silodosin to male rats, radioactivity was rapidly and widely distributed to most tissues. The highest concentrations outside the gastrointestinal tract were found in liver and kidney, with only low concentrations in brain tissues. The in vitro plasma protein binding of silodosin was about 80% in rat and dog, and 95.6% in humans, with alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP) contributing to the binding profile. Silodosin was found to be a dual substrate for CYP3A4 and p-glycoprotein. In human plasma, two major metabolites generated by UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT; UGT2B7) and alcohol/aldehyde dehydrogenase (ADH/ALDH) were found, but no glucuronide conjugates were detected in rat or dog plasma. After a single oral dose of (14)C-silodosin in rat, dog and human, the urinary excretion of radioactivity was 15-34%, with that of unchanged silodosin being less than 4%. The radioactivity was predominantly excreted via the feces.

Metabolism of trans, trans-muconaldehyde, a cytotoxic metabolite of benzene, in mouse liver by alcohol dehydrogenase Adh1 and aldehyde reductase AKR1A4

The reductive metabolism of trans, trans-muconaldehyde, a cytotoxic metabolite of benzene, was studied in mouse liver. Using an HPLC-based stopped assay, the primary reduced metabolite was identified as 6-hydroxy-trans, trans-2,4-hexadienal (OH/CHO) and the secondary metabolite as 1,6-dihydroxy-trans, trans-2,4-hexadiene (OH/OH). The main enzymes responsible for the highest levels of reductase activity towards trans, trans-muconaldehyde were purified from mouse liver soluble fraction first by Q-sepharose chromatography followed by either blue or red dye affinity chromatography. In mouse liver, trans, trans-muconaldehyde is predominantly reduced by an NADH-dependent enzyme, which was identified as alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh1). Kinetic constants obtained for trans, trans-muconaldehyde with the native Adh1 enzyme showed a Vmax of 2141+/-500 nmol/min/mg and a Km of 11+/-4 microM. This enzyme was inhibited by pyrazole with a KI of 3.1+/-0.57 microM. Other fractions were found to contain muconaldehyde reductase activity independent of Adh1, and one enzyme was identified as the NADPH-dependent aldehyde reductase AKR1A4. This showed a Vmax of 115 nmol/min/mg and a Km of 15+/-2 microM and was not inhibited by pyrazole.

Evidence for the formation of Michael adducts from reactions of (E,E)-muconaldehyde with glutathione and other thiols

Glutathione induces the rapid isomerization of (Z,Z)-muconaldehyde to (E,E)-muconaldehyde via (E,Z)-muconaldehyde, probably via reversible Michael addition of the thiol to one of the enal moieties of the muconaldehyde. Reactions of (E,E)-muconaldehyde with glutathione (in the presence and absence of equine glutathione S-transferase), phenylmethanethiol, N-acetyl-l-cysteine, and N-acetyl-l-cysteine methyl ester were investigated using mass spectrometric techniques. In each case, evidence was obtained for the formation of Michael adducts, e.g., reaction between (E,E)-muconaldehyde and glutathione gave 4-glutathionyl-hex-2-enedial and 3,4-bis-glutathionyl-hexanedial. These experiments suggest that (Z,Z)-muconaldehyde, a putative metabolite of benzene, could lead to the long established urinary metabolite of benzene, (E,E)-muconic acid, via glutathione-mediated isomerization to (E,E)-muconaldehyde.

Oxidation of heterocyclic and aromatic aldehydes to the corresponding carboxylic acids by Acetobacter and Serratia strains

Conversion of heterocyclic and aromatic aldehydes to the corresponding carboxylic acids was carried out using Acetobacter rancens IFO3297, A. pasteurianus IFO13753 and Serratia liquefaciens LF14. IFO3297 produced 110 g 2-furoic acid l(-1) from furfural with a 95% molar yield. 5-Hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid was produced from the corresponding aldehyde by using whole cells LF14. IFO13753 and LF14 both converted isophthalaldehyde, 2,5-furandicarbaldehyde, 2,5-thiophenedicarbaldehyde and 2,2' biphenyldicarbaldehyde to the corresponding formylcarboxylic acid with 86-91% molar yields.

A potential mechanism underlying the increased susceptibility of individuals with a polymorphism in NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) to benzene toxicity

NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a two-electron reductase that detoxifies quinones derived from the oxidation of phenolic metabolites of benzene. A polymorphism in NQO1, a C609T substitution, has been identified, and individuals homozygous for this change (T/T) have no detectable NQO1. Exposed workers with a T/T genotype have an increased risk of benzene hematotoxicity. This finding suggests NQO1 is protective against benzene toxicity, which is difficult to reconcile with the lack of detectable NQO1 in human bone marrow. The human promyeloblastic cell line, KG-1a, was used to investigate the ability of the benzene metabolite hydroquinone (HQ) to induce NQO1. A concentration-dependent induction of NQO1 protein and activity was observed in KG-1a cells cultured with HQ. Multiple detoxification systems, including NQO1 and glutathione protect against benzene metabolite-induced toxicity. Indeed, exposure to a noncytotoxic concentration of HQ induced both NQO1 and soluble thiols and protected against HQ-induced apoptosis. NQO1 protein and activity increased in wild-type human bone marrow cells (C/C) exposed to HQ, whereas no NQO1 was induced by HQ in bone marrow cells with the T/T genotype. Intermediate induction of NQO1 by HQ was observed in heterozygous bone marrow cells (C/T). NQO1 also was induced by HQ in wild-type (C/C) human bone marrow CD34(+) progenitor cells. Our data suggest that failure to induce functional NQO1 may contribute to the increased risk of benzene poisoning in individuals homozygous for the NQO1 C609T substitution (T/T).

Analysis and evaluation of trans,trans-muconic acid as a biomarker for benzene exposure

Benzene is an important industrial chemical and, due to its occurrence in mineral oil and its formation in many combustion processes, a widespread environmental pollutant. Since benzene is hematoxic and has been classified as a human carcinogen, monitoring and control of benzene exposure is of importance. Although trans,trans-muconic acid (ttMA) was identified as a urinary metabolite of benzene at the beginning of this century, only recently has its application as a biomarker for occupational and environmental benzene exposure been investigated. The range of metabolic conversion of benzene to ttMA is about 2-25% and dependent on the benzene exposure level, simultaneous exposure to toluene, and probably also to genetic factors. For the quantitation of ttMA in urine, HPLC methods using UV and diode array detection as well as GC methods combined with MS or FID detection have been described. Sample pretreatment for both HPLC and GC analysis comprises centrifugation and enrichment by solid-phase extraction on anion-exchange sorbents. Described derivatization procedures prior to GC analysis include reaction with N,O-bis(trimethysilyl)acetamide, N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide, pentafluorobenzyl bromide and borontrifluoride-methanol. Reported limits of detection for HPLC methods range from 0.1 to 0.003 mg l(-1), whereas those reported for GC methods are 0.03-0.01 mg l(-1). Due to its higher specificity, GC methods appear to be more suitable for determination of low urinary ttMA levels caused by environmental exposure to benzene. In studies with occupational exposure to benzene (>0.1 ppm), good correlations between urinary ttMA excretion and benzene levels in breathing air are observed. From the reported regressions for these variables, mean excretion rates of ttMA of 1.9 mg g(-1) creatinine or 2.5 mg l(-1) at an exposure dose of 1 ppm over 8 h can be calculated. The smoking-related increase in urinary ttMA excretion reported in twelve studies ranged from 0.022 to 0.2 mg g(-1) creatinine. Only a few studies have investigated the effect of exposure to environmental levels of benzene (<0.01 ppm) on urinary ttMA excretion. A trend for slightly increased ttMA levels in subjects living in areas with high automobile traffic density was observed, whereas exposure to environmental tobacco smoke did not significantly increase the urinary ttMA excretion. It is concluded that urinary ttMA is a suitable biomarker for benzene exposure at occupational levels as low as 0.1 ppm. Biomonitoring of exposure to environmental benzene levels (<0.01 ppm) using urinary ttMA appears to be possible only if the ingestion of dietary sorbic acid, another precursor to urinary ttMA, is taken into account.

Urinary excretion of phenol, catechol, hydroquinone, and muconic acid by workers occupationally exposed to benzene

OBJECTIVES

Animal inhalation studies and theoretical models suggest that the pattern of formation of benzene metabolites changes as exposure to benzene increases. To determine if this occurs in humans, benzene metabolites in urine samples collected as part of a cross sectional study of occupationally exposed workers in Shanghai, China were measured.

METHODS

With organic vapour monitoring badges, 38 subjects were monitored during their full workshift for inhalation exposure to benzene. The benzene urinary metabolites phenol, catechol, hydroquinone, and muconic acid were measured with an isotope dilution gas chromatography mass spectroscopy assay and strongly correlated with concentrations of benzene air. For the subgroup of workers (n = 27) with urinary phenol > 50 ng/g creatinine (above which phenol is considered to be a specific indicator of exposure to benzene), concentrations of each of the four metabolites were calculated as a ratio of the sum of the concentrations of all four metabolites (total metabolites) and were compared in workers exposed to > 25 ppm v < or = 25 ppm.

RESULTS

The median, 8 hour time weighted average exposure to benzene was 25 ppm. Relative to the lower exposed workers, the ratio of phenol and catechol to total metabolites increased by 6.0% (p = 0.04) and 22.2% (p = 0.007), respectively, in the more highly exposed workers. By contrast, the ratio of hydroquinone and muconic acid to total metabolites decreased by 18.8% (p = 0.04) and 26.7% (p = 0.006), respectively. Similar patterns were found when metabolite ratios were analysed as a function of internal benzene dose (defined as total urinary benzene metabolites), although catechol showed a more complex, quadratic relation with increasing dose.

CONCLUSIONS

These results, which are consistent with previous animal studies, show that the relative production of benzene metabolites is a function of exposure level. If the toxic benzene metabolites are assumed to be derived from hydroquinone, ring opened products, or both, these results suggests that the risk for adverse health outcomes due to exposure to benzene may have a supralinear relation with external dose, and that linear extrapolation of the toxic effects of benzene in highly exposed workers to lower levels of exposure may underestimate risk.

Potential biomarkers of benzene exposure

Biological markers or biomarkers of exposure are indicators for the evaluation of the internal dose of a xenobiotic. Biomarkers integrate exposure from all routes and sources. This review presents a short overview of potential biomarkers of benzene exposure currently under investigation, the methodology used for their determination, and experimental findings and their usefulness and specificity in assessing exposure to benzene. Potential biomarkers of benzene exposure are benzene, benzene metabolites, and adducts formed by reactive benzene metabolites with cellular constituents. The potential biomarkers of benzene exposure described in this review are: (1) benzene, the parent hydrocarbon; (2) ring-hydroxylated urinary metabolites, phenol, catechol, hydroquinone, and 1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene; (3) trans,trans-muconic acid, a urinary ring-opened metabolite; (4) N-acetyl-S-(2,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-L-cysteine, a urinary metabolite of benzene, phenol, and hydroquinone; (5) S-phenylmercapturic acid, a glutathione-derived adduct; (6) N7-phenylguanine, a DNA adduct; and (7) S-phenylcysteine and N-phenyl-valine, hemoglobin/protein-derived adducts.

Iron-stimulated ring-opening of benzene in a mouse liver microsomal system. Mechanistic studies and formation of a new metabolite

In the present study, we investigated the mechanism(s) of ring-opening of benzene in a mouse liver microsomal system in the presence of Fe2+.HPLC analysis based on coelution with authentic standards and on-line UV spectra obtained using a diode array detector indicated that benzene is metabolized to phenol, hydroquinone (HQ), trans,trans-muconaldehyde (muconaldehyde, MUC), 6-oxo-trans,trans-2,4-hexadienoic (COOH-M-CHO), 6-hydroxy-trans,trans-2,4-hexadienal (CHO-M-OH), and 6-hydroxy-trans,trans-2,4-hexadienoic acid (COOH-M-OH). CHO-M-OH was confirmed by mass spectrometry. Muconaldehyde was also metabolized to CHO-M-OH, COOH-M-CHO and COOH-M-OH, in the same microsomal system. The inhibition of muconaldehyde metabolism by microsomes in the presence of pyrazole indicates that there is cytosolic alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity in the microsomes. Metabolism by contaminating ADH of muconaldehyde formed during microsomal incubation of benzene could be involved in the formation of CHO-M-OH and COOH-M-OH. The ring-opening of benzene was stimulated by added Fe2+. Hydrogen peroxide was produced in the microsomal system and consumed in the presence of added Fe2+. Addition of catalase inhibited the formation of ring-opened products, while superoxide dismutase increased their formation in the presence of azide. Singlet oxygen scavengers, i.e. histidine, deoxyguanosine, Tris and azide (at concentrations above 1.0 mM), dramatically decreased the ring-opening of benzene. Hydroxyl radical scavengers, DMSO, mannitol and formate, but not ethanol, also decreased the ring-opening of benzene. The data indicate that Fenton chemistry plays an important role in benzene ring-opening by microsomes. An unknown peak with UV absorption maxima at 275 and 345 nm was also detected. Based on pH sensitivity of the UV spectrum, the reactivity with thiobarbituric acid (giving a chromogen with absorption maximum at 532 nm) and the molecular weight (126), this compound was identified tentatively as alpha- or beta-hydroxymuconaldehyde.

Studies on pathways of ring opening of benzene in a Fenton system

Ring-opened products of benzene metabolism have been postulated to play a role in hematotoxicity and leukemogenesis. The reaction of benzene in the Fenton system was reexamined to determine the presence of compounds which might serve as intermediates in the formation of trans, trans-muconaldehyde (MUC), a microsomal hematotoxic metabolite of benzene. Benzene dihydrodiol (DHD) was found in this system based on coelution with authentic standard, ultraviolet (UV) absorption characteristics, and molecular weight. Incubation of DHD in the Fenton system resulted in the formation of phenol (PH), catechol (CAT), and products which reacted with thiobarbituric acid to form chromogens absorbing at 495 nm and 532 nm, consistent with products containing an alpha, beta-unsaturated aldehyde group. However, muconaldehyde was not detected in the Fenton system incubated with DHD, indicating that MUC is not formed via ring opening of DHD. When benzene was incubated in the Fenton system, MUC, cis,trans-muconaldehyde, PH, hydroquinone (HQ), and CAT were identified. Identification of cis,trans-muconaldehyde, an isomer which can quickly rearrange to MUC, suggests that cis,cis-muconaldehyde is originally formed from benzene and converted to cis,trans- and then trans,trans-muconaldehyde.

Metabolism of benzene and trans,trans-muconaldehyde in the isolated perfused rat liver

Perfusate from rat livers perfused with benzene (approximately 0.7-7 x 10(-4) M) or trans,trans-muconaldehyde (MUC) (10(-4) M) was extracted and analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC. Based on retention time and co-elution experiments, benzene was found to be metabolized to trans,trans-muconic acid, a urinary ring-opened metabolite of benzene and a major in vivo and in vitro metabolite of MUC. These data demonstrate that benzene ring-opening occurs in the liver. Following perfusion with MUC (a microsomal hematotoxic metabolite of benzene), trans,trans-muconic acid and three other MUC metabolites were detected in the perfusate extract, suggesting that these metabolites would be present in the circulation following metabolism of MUC.

Mutagenicity of trans,trans-muconaldehyde and its metabolites in V79 cells

trans,trans-Muconaldehyde (MUC), a six-carbon-diene-dialdehyde, is a microsomal, hematotoxic ring-opened metabolite of benzene. MUC is metabolized to a variety of compounds which are formed by oxidation and/or reduction of the aldehyde group(s). In the present studies, MUC and its metabolites were examined for mutagenic activity at the hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) locus in Chinese hamster V79 cells. Mutagenicity was scored by counting 8-azaguanine-resistant colonies. Of the 6 compounds tested, MUC and its aldehydic metabolites 6-hydroxy-trans,trans-2,4-hexadienal and 6-oxo-trans,trans-hexadienoic acid were mutagenic in that order of potency. The other MUC metabolites tested (1,6-dihydroxy-trans, trans-2, 4-hexadiene, trans, trans-muconic acid, and 6-hydroxy-trans, trans-2,4-hexadienoic acid) had little or not activity in this system. The order of mutagenic activity of MUC and its aldehydic metabolites correlates with their reactivity towards glutathione, suggesting that alkylating potential is important in the genotoxicity of these compounds.

Pathways of trans,trans-muconaldehyde metabolism in mouse liver cytosol: reversibility of monoreductive metabolism and formation of end products

The metabolism of trans,trans-muconaldehyde (MUC), a hematotoxic agent which is a presumed in vivo metabolite of benzene, was studied in mouse liver cytosol. MUC was incubated for 30 min at 37 degrees C with mouse liver cytosol (from CD-1 mice) supplemented with NAD+ and the products were analyzed by reverse phase HPLC. Two products were detected in addition to the previously identified acid-aldehyde 6-oxo-trans,trans-2,4-hexadienoic acid (COOH-M-CHO) and the diacid trans,trans-muconic acid (COOH-M-COOH). Based on the molecular weight (112) obtained by thermo-spray LC-mass spectrometry and the absorbance maximum (269 nm), one of the products was identified as the aldehyde-alcohol 6-hydroxy-trans,trans-2,4-hexadienal (CHO-M-OH). The second product was identified as 6-hydroxy-trans,trans-2,4-hexadienoic acid (COOH-M-OH) by coelution with authentic standard, the fragmentation pattern obtained by electron impact mass spectrometry and the absorbance maximum (258 nm). Time course and concentration dependency studies indicate that COOH-M-OH and COOH-M-COOH are end products of MUC metabolism while CHO-M-OH, and COOH-M-CHO, the initially formed mono-reduction and mono-oxidation products, respectively, are the intermediates leading to these end products. The metabolite COOH-M-OH is formed mainly by oxidation of CHO-M-OH and to a much lesser extent by reduction of CHO-M-COOH, whereas COOH-M-COOH is formed solely by oxidation of COOH-M-CHO. The reduction of MUC to CHO-M-OH is reversible, whereas oxidation to COOH-M-CHO is not. The compound CHO-M-OH is not only oxidized to COOH-M-OH by oxidation of the aldehyde functional group, but is also converted back to MUC by oxidation of the alcohol functional group.

Metabolism and cytotoxicity of trans,trans-muconaldehyde and its derivatives: potential markers of benzene ring cleavage reactions

trans,trans-Muconaldehyde (MA) has been proposed to be a myelotoxic metabolite of benzene, although it has not been isolated from benzene administration in vivo. Since the reactivity and further metabolism of MA may preclude its isolation, we have examined the metabolism of MA by: (a) mixtures of yeast alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases, (b) mouse liver cytosol, and (c) isolated rat hepatocytes. In all three systems, MA was metabolized rapidly and the major stable end-product of metabolism was the hydroxy/acid (OH/COOH) derivative of MA. The major route of metabolism involved initial reduction to the hydroxy/aldehyde (OH/CHO) derivative. trans,trans-Muconic acid (COOH/COOH), which is used as a marker of benzene ring cleavage reactions in vivo, was also formed from MA albeit to a much lesser extent compared to the OH/COOH. The thiol reactivity, metabolism, and cytotoxicity of MA and its different redox forms (i.e., OH/OH, OH/CHO, COOH/CHO, COOH/COOH, OH/COOH) were also investigated. MA was found to react most rapidly with reduced glutathione (GSH) in a cell-free system and was also the most cytotoxic to rat hepatocytes. Apart from MA, only the OH/CHO demonstrated GSH-reactivity and cytotoxicity. The OH/CHO was a major initial metabolite in all three systems and, thus, could represent a less reactive but more diffusible derivative of MA. These studies define the metabolism and cytotoxicity of MA and its redox derivatives and suggest that the OH/COOH metabolite of MA may have relevance as a marker of ring cleavage reactions of benzene in vivo.