SUPPRESSIVE EFFECT OF HUMAN INTERFERONS ON ERYTHROID COLONY GROWTH IN DISORDERS OF ERYTHROPOIESIS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 96  (2) , 328-333
Abstract
The suppressive effect of 2 types of human interferon [INF] (fibroblast [F] and leukocyte [L] types) on bone marrow and peripheral blood erythroid colony formation by cells from patients with various erythropoiesis disorders was studied. Bone marrow or peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and cultured in plasma clots with Epo, and benzidine-positive erythroid colonies counted after 7-14 days'' incubation. Specimens included cells for patients with thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, secondary polycythemia, nutritional anemia, hemolytic anemia, refractory anemia, and normal controls. With the exception of nutritional anemia cells, erythroid colony formation by all specimens was significantly inhibited (84-100%) by 100-200 U of either INF type/ml. Erythroid colony formation by nutritional anemia bone marrow cells was inhibited only 30-40% by 200 U/ml F or L INF and 100 U/ml was ineffective. Sickle cell peripheral blood mononuclear cells and refractory anemia bone marrow demonstrated marked inhibition of colony formation (86-97%) with 50 U/ml F or L INF. Inhibition of colony formation by sickle cell peripheral blood mononuclear cells was completely abolished by addition of anit-INF. Colony formation by refractory anemia bone marrow was inhibited 46-51% by as little as 10 U/ml F or L INF. This concentration of INF was ineffective with cells from thalassemia, secondary polycythemia, nutritional anemia, hemolytic anemia and controls. Mouse bone marrow colony formation was not suppressed by 200 U/ml L INF. Thus F or L INF inhibit in vitro erythroid colony formation by human bone marrow or peripheral blood mononuclear cells, the effect is abolished by anti-interferon and inhibition may be species-specific. Since cells obtained from certain patients are particularly sensitive to the cytoxic effects of interferon, it may be useful to monitor the erythropoietic state of the patient during interferon chemotherapy.