Microenvironmental toxicity of azidothymidine: partial sparing with hemin

Azidothymidine (AZT) is a useful drug in management of AIDS. Nevertheless, its hematologic toxicity such as anemia and neutropenia present further complications to an already compromised hematopoietic state in patients. We studied the effects of AZT on human and murine bone marrow (BM) colony growth as determined by assays of CFU-E, BFU-E, CFU-GM, and fibroblastoid stromal (CFU-Fb) colonies. Cultures were grown in methylcellulose with growth factors and scored after three- to 14-day incubation. In general, murine marrow cultures were more sensitive to AZT as compared with human marrow. Furthermore, interindividual variation in toxicity to AZT was observed between marrow samples; 1 mumol/L AZT inhibited murine CFU-E, BFU-E, and CFU-GM by 98% to 100%, whereas human marrow was inhibited by 52%, 87%, and 65%, respectively. Lower concentrations of AZT (0.1 mumol/L) inhibited murine erythroid colony growth by 85% to 90%, whereas human growth was inhibited by only 39% to 52%. Myeloid colony inhibition was similar for human and murine systems. CFU-Fb growth was markedly suppressed (75%) by 1 mumol/L AZT. Hemin, at a concentration of 10 mumol/L, overcame some of the inhibitory effects of 1 to 0.1 mumol/L AZT without hindering antiviral activity. Inhibition of human CFU-E growth was completely overcome with hemin, whereas CFU-GM growth was recovered to 66% to 74% of control. A similar but less pronounced effect was observed for BFU-E. Furthermore, hemin does not decrease AZT's effects of HIV antigen content in vitro. We conclude that anemia and neutropenia, occurring as a result of AZT, may not be as pronounced in the presence of hemin. Furthermore, CFU-Fb was significantly reduced in the presence of low concentrations of AZT. This may indicate a major target site for BM toxicity since the stromal microenvironment may be responsible for maintaining short- and long-term hematopoiesis.     

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and hematopoietic progenitors: effects of tumor necrosis factor on the growth of erythroid progenitors CFU-E and BFU-E and the hematopoietic cell lines K562, HL60, and HEL cells

Macrophages can modulate the growth of hematopoietic progenitors. We have examined the effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, a product of activated macrophages, on human erythroid progenitors (CFU-E, BFU-E) and the hematopoietic cell lines K562, HL60, and HEL cells. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) significantly inhibited CFU-E and BFU-E growth at concentrations as low as 10(-11)-10(-12) M (0.2 U/ml), although erythroid colony and burst formation were not totally ablated. Preincubation of marrow samples with TNF for 15 min was sufficient to suppress erythroid colony and burst formation. Addition of TNF after the start of culture inhibited CFU-E- and BFU-E-derived colony formation if TNF was added within the first 48 h of culture. Additionally, TNF inhibited the growth of highly purified erythroid progenitors harvested from day 5 BFU-E. The colonies which formed in cultures treated with TNF were significantly smaller than those formed in control cultures. TNF (10(-8)-10(-10) M) also suppressed the growth of the hematopoietic cell lines K562, HL60, and HEL cells, with 40%-60% of the cells being sensitive to TNF. Preincubation of HL60 cells with TNF for 15 min significantly inhibited their growth. K562, HL60, and HEL cells expressed high-affinity receptors for TNF in low numbers (6000-10,000 receptors per cell). Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis of TNF binding to HEL cells demonstrated that the majority of these cells expressed TNF receptors. These data suggest that: (1) TNF is a rapid irreversible and extremely potent inhibitor of CFU-E, BFU-E, and hematopoietic cell lines K562, HL60, and HEL cells; (2) TNF appears to be acting on a subpopulation of erythroid cells, predominantly CFU-E, BFU-E, and possibly proerythroblasts; (3) TNF appears not to require accessory cells such as lymphocytes or macrophages to inhibit erythroid progenitors; and (4) the presence of TNF receptors on hematopoietic cells is not sufficient to confer sensitivity to TNF since the majority (80%-95%) of HEL cells express TNF receptors while only 40%-60% are inhibited by TNF.     

Erythroleukemia: in vitro studies of erythropoiesis.

We studied the growth of erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E) and erythroid colony forming units (CFU-E) from bone marrow and blood in six patients with erythroleukemia. Five patients grew CFU-E, while BFU-E were found in the marrow of two and in the peripheral blood of only one patient. In all cases with colony growth, the numbers of colonies were markedly decreased with respect to normal controls. Patient BFU-E were composed of fewer clusters than those of controls. BFU-E and CFU-E growth was dependent on the addition of erythropoietin to the medium, and no growth was observed in absence of erythropoietin. At present it is not known if the growth obtained is derived from residual normal erythropoietic stem cells or from abnormal erythroid precursors of the leukemic cells.     

Colony growth of normal and neoplastic cells in various concentrations of methylcellulose

To assess the semisolid character of methylcellulose (MC) and its ability to prevent cell migration and aggregation in clonogenic assays, we studied the influence of various concentrations of MC (0.7%-1.26%) on colony growth of neoplastic cell lines, normal bone marrow cells, and hairy cell leukemia (HCL). All cell lines (K562, HL-60, JOK-1, Daudi, and BB3, an IgM-kappa B-cell line) showed a prominent decrease in colony numbers and remarkable changes in colony morphology at rising MC concentrations, whereas no such influence could be demonstrated for HCL, mixed lineage colony-forming units (CFU-GEMM), granulocyte-macrophage CFU (CFU-GM), erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E), and erythroid CFU (CFU-E). Despite a decrease in colony numbers at high MC concentrations, some cell lines showed a sustained proliferation as measured by growth index calculations and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) incorporation. This indicates that at certain MC concentrations colony formation is not always a reflection of proliferation. BrdUrd incorporation yielded an extremely low proliferation capacity for HCL. It is likely that HCL cells, which strongly aggregate, formed pseudo-colonies in spite of high MC concentrations.     

Anti-K562 cell monoclonal antibody RTF8X recognizes tumor-associated antigen of erythroid lineage

A new anti-K562 cell monoclonal antibody, RTF8X, a cytotoxic IgM, recognized a surface antigen on erythroblasts from patients with erythroleukemia and polycythemia vera. RTF8X, which is highly specific to K562 cells, did not react with the other 14 hematopoietic cell lines and the seven nonhematopoietic cell lines. RTF8X antigen was not detected in normal peripheral blood, but was found in less than 1% of normal marrow cells. RTF8X did not inhibit in vitro colony formation of CFU-E and BFU-E in a complement-dependent cytotoxicity assay. Cell- sorting analysis showed that, morphologically, the RTF8X-positive marrow cells from the patients and normal volunteers contained more than 60% erythroblasts and that CFU-E and BFU-E were not demonstrated in cells with RTF8X antigen. Enzyme treatment suggested that RTF8X antigen was a sialoglycolipid. These results indicate that RTF8X may recognize the surface antigen found increasingly in association with tumors of erythroid lineage. RTF8X should be useful for studies of erythroid differentiation and proliferation in patients.     

Bone marrow stromal cell blockade of human leukemic cell differentiation

Bone marrow (BM) stromal cell inhibition of leukemic cell differentiation was studied in cellular coculture experiments. In coculture, a significant percentage of cells from the human myeloid leukemic cell lines HL-60, PLB-985, and K562 adhere to fibroblastic KM- 102 BM stromal cells. A sensitive two-color immunofluorescence assay was developed to monitor stromal cellular effects upon leukemic cell differentiation. After chemical induction with 1 alpha,25- dihydroxyvitamin D3, strongly adherent HL-60 and PLB-985 cells were inhibited from differentiating into more mature monocytic cells, as measured by the monocytic surface marker CD14. In contrast, loosely adherent and nonadherent HL-60 and PLB-985 leukemic cells in the same cocultures, as well as both adherent and nonadherent K562 cells induced with phorbol ester, were not blocked in their capacity to differentiate. Scanning electron microscopy and intercellular dye transfer experiments correlated intimate stromal cell/leukemic cell interaction and intercellular communication with the blockade of leukemic cell differentiation. These studies indicate that there is significant variability among leukemic lines with respect to the nature of their adhesion to stromal cells. Moreover, the data implicate gap- junction formation as a potentially significant event in stromal cell- mediated leukemic cell regulation.     

Hemin-induced erythroid differentiation changes the sensitivity of K562 cells to tumor necrosis factor-alpha

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) can inhibit the growth of erythroid progenitors (erythroid colony-forming units [CFU-E] and erythroid burst-forming units [BFU-E]) at picomolar concentrations, but only if added within the first 48 h of culture. These data suggested that cells undergoing erythroid differentiation become resistant to TNF. To test this hypothesis, K562 cells were treated with hemin to induce erythroid differentiation and then tested for their sensitivity to TNF in terms of growth and TNF receptor expression. TNF inhibited the growth of untreated K562 cells, but not hemin-treated K562 cells. Untreated K562 cells expressed TNF receptors, whereas few hemin-treated K562 cells expressed TNF receptors within 24 h of exposure to hemin. These data show that K562 cells induced to differentiate along the erythroid pathway are resistant to TNF because they lack TNF receptors and suggest that the resistance of erythropoietin-treated human bone marrow cells to TNF added after 48 h of culture may also reflect loss of TNF receptors associated with erythroid differentiation.     

Taurolidine: preclinical evaluation of a novel, highly selective, agent for bone marrow purging

Taurolidine has been shown to have remarkable cytotoxic activity against selected human tumor cells at concentrations that spare normal cells. In this study we have extended this observation and assessed the ability of Taurolidine to purge tumor cells from chimeric mixtures of bone marrow (BM) and neoplastic cells. Normal murine BM and human leukemic (HL-60) or ovarian (PA-1) tumor cell lines were used as models. Exposure of tumor cells to 2.5 mM Taurolidine for 1 h resulted in the complete elimination of viable cells. In contrast, exposure of BM to 5 mMTaurolidine for 1 h reduced CFU-GM, BFU-E and CFU-GEEM colony formation by only 23.0%, 19.6% and 25.2%, respectively. Inhibition of long-term BM culture (LTBMC) growth following a 1 h exposure to 5 mM Taurolidine also was approximately 20% compared to untreated LTBMC. Finally, chimeric cultures were generated from BM and HL-60GR or PA-1GR cells (tumor cells transfected with the geneticin resistance gene). Exposure of these chimeric cultures to 5 mM Taurolidine for 1 h totally eliminated viable cancer cells while minimally reducing viable BM cells. This finding was confirmed by subsequent positive selection for surviving tumor cells with geneticin. These findings reveal that Taurolidine holds promise for use in BM purging.     

In vitro steroid sensitivity testing: A possible means to predict response to therapy in primary hypoproliferative anemia

We investigated the effects of various steroids on erythroid colony formation by normal human bone marrow and peripheral blood, and by marrow and peripheral blood from 18 patients with primary hypoproliferative anemia. These agents were variously found to enhance both CFU-E and BFU-E derived colony growth by normal human cells. Fluoxymesterone and dexamethasone were the most active inducers of CFU-E proliferation, and etiocholanolone and dexamethasone were the most potent burst augmenters. Androsterone did not significantly influence BFU-E proliferation in 66% of the marrow cultures from hematologically normal donors. Colony formation by erythroid progenitor cells of the patients with hypoproliferative anemia was reduce (20 ± 10 CFU-E derived colonies/6 × 10⁴ marrow cells; 12 ± 5 BFU-E derived colonies/1 × 10⁵ blood cells) when compared to growth by normal cells (65 ± 14 CFU-E derived colonies/6 × 10⁴ marrow cells; 21 ± 9 BFU-E derived colonies/1 × 10⁵ blood cells). Colony formation by marrow or peripheral blood cells of eight patients with steroid-responsive anemia was only moderately reduced (26 ± 11 CFU-E derived colonies/6 ± 10⁴ marrow cells; 17 ± 3 BFU-E derived colonies/1 × 10⁵ blood cells) when compared to growth by marrow cells of three steroid-unresponsive patients (3 ± 1.5 CFU-E derived colonies/6 × 10⁴ cells). Whereas the addition of steroids of the same class to marrow and peripheral blood cultures of the steroid-responsive patients enhanced colony growth by 60–300%, their addition to marrow cultures of the steroid-unresponsive patients increased colony growth by less than 60%. It appears that further investigations using in vitro culture techniques as predictors of response to steroid therapy in patients with hypoproliferative anemia may be warranted.     

Congenital dyserythropoietic anaemia type II (CDA-II): chromosomal banding studies and adherent cell effects on erythroid colony (CFU-E) and burst (BFU-E) formation

Bone marrow CFU-E and BFU-E from a patient with CDA-II formed erythroid colonies and bursts which contained multinucleated erythroblasts in vitro . Adherent cell depletion of the patient's marrow increased CFU-E derived colonies six-fold (98 ± 17 v. 640 ± 15 per 10⁵ marrow cells plated) and co-culture of CDA-II marrow adherent cells with CDA-II adherent cell depleted marrow significantly suppressed erythroid colony formation. Similar adherent cell suppression of the patient's BFU-E also occurred. Adherent cell depletion of normal marrow did not increase CFU-E derived colony formation (488 ± 63 v. 495 ± 108) and decreased BFU-E derived burst formation. Addition of normal adherent cells to normal marrow increased erythroid colony and burst formation. Karyotype and chromosomal banding studies of the patient's multinucleated cells did not show chromosomal inversions, deletions or translocations.     

Hemin stimulating effect on colony formation of leukemic and bone marrow cells

The hemin enhancing activity on colony formation of leukemic and normal bone-marrow (BM) cells is described. The colony growth of Friend erythroleukemic cells (FL) and mastocytoma cells (M) was markedly enhanced. On the other hand, myeloid leukemic cells (P) and normal bone-marrow cells (BM) were only slightly affected. Inhibition of colony formation was observed with lymphoid leukemic cells (L). For M and BM cells, the horse serum could be replaced by BSA with preservation of hemin enhancing activity.     

Selective photosensitization of human leukemic cells by a pyrene-containing fatty acid

Irradiation with long-wave UV light (LUV) at 366 nm of cells that had been incubated with 12-(1-pyrene)dodecanoic acid (P12), a fatty acid derivative with a covalently linked pyrene nucleus, resulted in cytotoxicity. Using the in vitro established human cell lines HL-60 and U-937, we demonstrated that these leukemic cells are much more susceptible to the photosensitizing effect of P12 than normal bone marrow (BM); a 4-log reduction in the number of clonogenic leukemic cells was achieved under conditions where colony formation by normal hemopoietic progenitors was reduced by less than 40%. Moreover, the results of irradiating mixed populations of leukemic and normal cells indicated that phototoxicity of leukemic cells was not affected by the presence of a large excess of normal BM cells, nor was the survival of normal BM cells influenced by the presence of leukemic cells. These findings suggested that the procedure could be adapted for selective ex vivo elimination of malignant cells, i.e., purging of BM in remission prior to autologous transplantation.     

Erythroid colony formation and effect of hemin in vitro in hereditary sideroblastic anemias

Colony formation by erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E) and erythroid colony-forming units (CFU-E) and the effect of hemin on colony growth was studied in vitro in three Finnish families with hereditary sideroblastic anemia (HSA). Defective activity of heme synthase has been demonstrated in family A and that of delta-aminolevulinic acid synthase in family B. No biochemical defect has been recognized so far in family C. CFU-E colony growth was defective in seven of the eight persons studied. The formation of BFU-E colonies was normal in family A and increased in family C, whereas of the two members of family B one showed normal and one decreased BFU-E colony growth. Hemin in 30-120 microM concentration increased significantly both BFU-E (p less than 0.01) and CFU-E (p less than 0.005) colony formation in family C. No effect was seen in family A, and in family B the only effect was normalization of the decreased BFU-E colony growth by the highest hemin concentration in one person. This study indicates that differences exist between families with HSA in erythroid colony formation and in response to hemin in vitro, but the low number of investigated members in each family does not permit a conclusive evaluation of the impact of the carrier versus patient status or of sex on the results.     

Comparison of hemin enhancement of burst-forming units-erythroid clonal efficiency by progenitor cells from normal and HIV-infected patients.

The ability of peripheral-blood hematopoietic progenitor cells from AIDS patients and normal controls to respond to erythropoietin (Epo) was assessed for burst-forming units-erythroid (BFU-E). BFU-E colony formation from AIDS patients' peripheral blood responded to a wide range of Epo concentrations (0.5-4 U) in a similar manner as erythroid progenitors obtained from normal peripheral blood. The optimum dose response of BFU-E to Epo was 2 U which resulted in generation of 71 +/- 4 BFU-E in AIDS patients (n = 10), as compared to 77 +/- 5 BFU-E in normal donors (n = 3). The optimum concentration range of hemin enhancement of erythroid progenitor BFU-E was 10-50 microM. In all instances, Epo was essential for BFU-E growth. Inclusion of hemin at a concentration of 10 microM in AIDS patients' peripheral-blood erythroid progenitor cells resulted in enhancement of BFU-E by 136-215%. Similarly, inclusion of hemin (10-100 microM) in normal bone marrow erythroid progenitor cell cultures resulted in enhancement of BFU-E. Inclusion of an equivalent amount of iron or tin protoporphyrin to progenitors cells from AIDS patients' peripheral blood had no effect on the number of colonies observed. On the other hand, inclusion of another heme analogue, zinc protoporphyrin, in AIDS or normal cultures resulted in a 50% suppression of BFU-E colony formation. These results demonstrate that peripheral-blood mononuclear cells from AIDS patients retain the capacity to generate erythroid precursors such as BFU-E in the presence of Epo, and that hemin has a specific enhancement effect on growth of BFU-E colony formation obtained from peripheral blood or bone marrow cells.     

Studies on hematopoietic stem cells: XI. Lack of erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E) in patients with aplastic anemia.

The marrow concentration of erythropoietic precursors was examined in normal donors and patients with idiopathic aplastic anemia using a plasma clot culture system. On time course observations the heterogeneity of human erythroid precursors assayable in culture was demonstrated. To evaluate human erythropoiesis in vitro, the benzidine-positive colonies were divided into three groups: small colony, containing 8-50 cells; medium-sized colony, containing 50-500 cells; and large colony, containing more than 500 cells. The majority of the large colonies assumed the morphology of erythropietic bursts (BFU-E) consisted of several subcolonies. The small colonies were counted as CFU-E1, the medium-sized as CFU-E2, and the large as BFU-E to evaluate the erythroid precursor cell compartment in aplastic anemia. The marrow concentration of CFU-E1 and CFU-E2 was shown to be quantitatively diminished in aplastic anemia. In addition, there was no ability of the marrow cells from aplastic patieints to grow BFU-E in vitro even in the presence of a large dose of erythropoietin. This lack of BFU-E colony growth may play an important role in the mechanism of the erythropoietic deficiency in aplastic anemia.     

Aplastic anemia associated with in vitro inhibition of erythropoiesis by bone marrow-adherent cells

A patient with aplastic anemia that evolved following pure red cell aplasia is described. Cultures of the patient's marrow cells revealed greatly reduced numbers of primitive (BFU-E) and relatively mature (CFU-E) erythroid progenitors, but normal numbers of multipotential (CFU-GEMM) precursors. The BFU-E/CFU-GEMM and CFU-E/BFU-E ratios in the patient's marrow cell cultures were also reduced. T cell- or antibody-mediated inhibition of in vitro erythropoiesis could not be demonstrated in this patient. However, the patient's marrow-adherent cells suppressed the growth of autologous and allogeneic BFU-E and CFU-E, without influencing the growth of CFU-GEMM. Medium conditioned by the patient's adherent cells failed to inhibit the growth of normal erythroid precursors. Our findings suggest a role for marrow-adherent cells in the pathogenesis of aplastic anemia in this patient.     

Activities derived from established human myeloid cell lines reverse the suppression of cell line colony formation by lactoferrin and transferrin

Myeloid cell lines were evaluated for the release of substances needed for colony formation by their own colony-forming cells (CFC) and by other myeloid cell lines. Dialyzed U937 conditioned medium (CM) had no effect on the cloning efficiency of U937 cells, whether or not U937 CFC had been induced for MHC class-II antigens by preincubation of these cells for 72 h with indomethacin and human gamma interferon (HuIFN gamma). Dialyzed U937 CM, however, restored colony formation of HuIFN gamma-induced U937 cells suppressed by lactoferrin (LF) or transferrin (TF). Dialyzed U937 CM did not restore colony formation of U937 cells suppressed by acidic isoferritins (AIF) or prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Detection of the growth-restoring effects of U937 CM required that U937 CM be prepared in the presence of indomethacin or that the CM be dialyzed to remove inhibitors of U937 colony formation. Dialyzed U937 CM did not inactivate LF. Dialyzed U937 CM did not stimulate or enhance colony formation of normal human bone marrow granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM), erythroid (BFU-E), or multipotential (CFU-GEMM) progenitor cells, but did contain potent inhibitory activity against these progenitor cells. HL-60, EM2, EM3, and K562 cells were also evaluated. HL-60-, EM3-, and K562-CFC that were not preincubated with HuIFN gamma did not express MHC class-II antigens, and colony formation by these cells was not influenced by LF, TF, or AIF. Noninduced EM2-CFC constitutively expressed MHC class-II antigens, and colony formation by these cells was suppressed by LF, TF, and AIF. After induction of MHC class-II antigens on HL-60- and EM3-CFC by HuIFN gamma, colony formation by these cells was suppressed by LF, TF, and AIF. Colony formation by HuIFN gamma-induced EM2 cells was more responsive to inhibition by LF, TF, and AIF than was colony formation by noninduced EM2 cells. K562 cells were not induced into a responsive state to LF, TF, or AIF by HuIFN gamma. Dialyzed CM from HL-60, EM2, and EM3 cells contained activities that restored colony formation by their own LF-suppressed CFC. The activities present in dialyzed CM from U937, HL-60, EM2, and EM3 cells may be similar since they could each restore LF-suppressed colony formation of U937, HL-60, EM2, or EM3 cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Anaemia of chronic disease in rheumatoid arthritis: effect of the blunted response to erythropoietin and of interleukin 1 production by marrow macrophages.

Anaemia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common and debilitating complication. The most common causes of this anaemia are iron deficiency and anaemia of chronic disease. Investigations have suggested that interleukin 1 (IL-1) or tumour necrosis factor (TNF), or both, from monocytes associated with chronic inflammation are responsible for the anaemia of chronic disease. On bone marrow examination anaemia of chronic disease is characterised by the diversion of iron from the erythropoietic compartment into marrow macrophages. This phenomenon is termed failure of iron utilisation. In this study, CFU-E (colony forming unit erythroid; late red cell precursors) and BFU-E (burst forming unit erythroid; early red cell precursors) stem cells were cultured from 10 normal marrow samples and 12 marrow samples from patients with RA with iron deficiency anaemia and 10 samples from patients with RA with failure of iron utilisation. All patients with RA were anaemic (haemoglobin less than 100 g/l), Potential accessory or inhibitory cells of erythropoiesis (CD4, CD8, or CD14 positive cells) were removed before culture. Control marrow samples were studied in a similar manner. Normal marrow samples yielded 377 (17) CFU-E and 133 (6) BFU-E (mean (SD)) colonies for each 2 x 10(5) light density cells plated. CD4 ablation caused reductions of 62 and 100% in CFU-E and BFU-E colonies respectively. CD14 removal resulted in considerable but lesser reductions of 46% for CFU-E and 25% for BFU-E. In both groups of patients with RA, CFU-E colony numbers were significantly lower than those seen in normal control subjects, 293 (17) for patients with iron deficiency anaemia and 242 (35) for patients with failure of iron utilisation. BFU-E colony numbers were 102 (13) and 108 (20) respectively. In patients with RA, CD4 removal caused a significantly greater loss of CFU-E colonies compared with normal control subjects. Cytolysis of CD14 positive cells caused a reduction in CFU-E colonies in the two RA groups which was similar to that seen in normal subjects. In conclusion, patients with RA seem to have fewer CFU-E progenitors but essentially normal numbers of BFU-E stem cells. Our data suggest a stimulatory role for marrow CD4 and CD14 cells in erythropoiesis in patients with RA. Monocytes-macrophages (CD14 positive) are known to be producers of IL-1 or TNF, or both, however, the predicted increase in the CFU-E colonies on removal of CD14 cells is not seen. Therefore, if IL-1 or TNF, or both, are responsible for the impairment of erythropoiesis in patients with RA, marrow macrophages are unlikely to be the source. Moreover, these results indicate the probability of erythropoietin resistance on the basis of diminished CFU-E colony formation in patients with RA.     

Potential of phenylalanine methylester as a bone marrow purging agent.

Phenylalanine methylester (PME), a lysosomotropic compound can be used to deplete monocytes and myeloid cells from peripheral blood and bone marrow (BM). The potential of PME for purging leukemic cells from BM was investigated using U937 and HL-60 cell lines as models. Optimal purging conditions for U937 cells were determined using an MTT assay (3-4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium biomide; Sigma). Elimination of U937 cells was time-, temperature-, and dose-dependent. PME activity was optimal at 37 degrees C for 45 minutes. Depletion of U937 was > 2.8 logs for 50 mmol/L PME. Compared with another purging agent, 100 micrograms/mL 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide had activity comparable to 40 mmol/L PME. HL-60 cells were even more sensitive to PME than U937 cells. To support observations made with the MTT assay, clonogenic assays were performed. PME, 50 mmol/L at 37 degrees C resulted in total depletion (> 5 logs) of U937 colonies. Progressive depletion of normal progenitor cells occurred when BM was incubated with PME at concentrations from 5 to 100 mmol/L. At 37 degrees C, 50 mmol/L PME reduced colony-forming units-granulocyte-macrophage and burst-forming units-erythroid (BFU-E) recovery by 98%. Recombinant human mast cell factor augmented BFU-E after PME treatment but had no effect on HL-60 or U937. These studies suggest that PME deserves further study as an agent for ex vivo marrow purging.     

Suppression of mouse erythroid colony formation by L1210 leukemia cells.

The effect of L1210 transplantable leukemic cells on in vitro formation of erythroid colonies from CD2F1 mouse bone marrow progenitor cells (CFU-E) was investigated. Clonal cell culture was carried out by a methylcellulose technique. Human urinary erythropoietin served as the stimulator. After 44 hours of incubation aggregates of eight or more erythroid cells were scored as colonies. The number of CFU-E which could be demonstrated in marrow cells from mice that had been injected intravenously 6 days before with 5 x 10(4) L1210 cells was far below that obtained from normal marrow cells. When 1.3 x 10(5) marrow cells from leukemic mice or L1210 ascites cells were cultured with an equal amount of normal cells, the number of CFU-E expressed was reduced by 51% and by 86%, respectively, relative to controls with normal cells only. Neither lethally irradiated L1210 cells (4500 rad) nor L1210 cell conditioned media suppressed erythroid colony formation. It is suggested that in L1210 leukemia erythropoiesis is decreased because of a cell-to-cell inhibitory action of the leukemia cells on CFU-E.