Biological effects of recombinant erythropoietin, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin 3, and interleukin 6 on purified rat megakaryocytes

The biological effects of recombinant hematopoietic factors, which are considered to stimulate megakaryocytopoiesis in vitro or in vivo, were studied utilizing purified rat megakaryocytes. Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO), recombinant murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rmGM-CSF), and recombinant murine interleukin 3 (rmIL-3) stimulated both [3H]thymidine and [3H]leucine incorporation into purified rat megakaryocytes. In contrast, recombinant human interleukin 6 (rhIL-6) did not stimulate [3H]thymidine uptake but did increase [3H]leucine incorporation into purified rat megakaryocytes. These in vitro data suggest that DNA synthesis in megakaryocytes may be regulated by EPO, GM-CSF, and IL-3, and that protein synthesis is stimulated by EPO, GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-6 in vitro.