Alkylation of DNA and hemoglobin in the mouse following exposure to propene and propylene oxide

Male CBA mice were exposed to propene, unlabelled or 14C-labelled, by inhalation, or to 14C-labelled propylene oxide by intraperitoneal injection. 2-Hydroxypropyl adducts to guanine-N-7 in DNA of various organs and to N-terminal valine and histidine-N pi in hemoglobin were measured. The adduct levels observed show that propylene oxide is the major primary metabolic product of propene. A direct comparison of propylene oxide with the homologous compound ethylene oxide on the basis of adduct levels introduced (in DNA and in hemoglobin) at equimolar injected amounts, shows that propylene oxide is 6-10 times less effective than ethylene oxide.