The organ specificity of tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate(Tris-BP)-induced DNA damage was investigated in the rat 2 h after a single i.p. injection of 350 mumol/kg. Extensive DNA damage, measured with the alkaline elution method, was found in the kidney, liver and small intestine. Less, but significant DNA damage was detected in the brain, lung, spleen, large intestine and testis. The role of different pathways in the activation of Tris-BP to DNA damaging products was studied in isolated liver and testicular cells. Concentrations as low as 2.5-5 microM Tris-BP caused DNA damage in the hepatocytes, whereas an approximately 10-fold higher concentration was needed in testicular cells to produce a similar amount of DNA damage. Depletion of GSH by diethyl maleate (DEM) did not affect the extent of DNA damage caused by Tris-BP in the liver cells, but blocked the genotoxic effect in testicular cells. Two specifically deuterated Tris-BP analogs, C3D2-Tris-BP and C2D1-Tris-BP, were significantly less potent in causing DNA damage than the protio compound in isolated liver cells and were somewhat less potent in testicular cells. The major urinary metabolite of Tris-BP, bis(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate (Bis-BP), was less potent than Tris-BP in causing kidney DNA damage after in vivo exposure. Furthermore, Bis-BP induced substantially less DNA damage in isolated liver and testicular cells. Similar to the effect of DEM on the DNA damage caused by Tris-BP, the DNA damage caused by Bis-BP could be decreased by DEM-pretreatment in testicular cells but not in liver cells. The present study shows that Tris-BP is a potent multiorgan genotoxic agent in vivo. The in vitro data indicate that P-450 mediated metabolism of Tris-BP is more important than activation by glutathione S-transferases of Tris-BP in liver cells, whereas the latter activation pathway seems to be most important in testicular cells.