In vivo synergism of recombinant human interleukin-3 and recombinant human
interleukin-6 on thrombopoiesis in primates
K Geissler, P Valent, P Bettelheim, C Sillaber, B Wagner, P Kyrle, W Hinterberger, K Lechner, E Liehl and P Mayer
First Department of Medicine, University of Vienna, Austria.
Using a primate model, we examined the effect of recombinant human
interleukin-3 (rhIL-3) and rhIL-6 on thrombopoiesis in vivo. Administration
of 33 micrograms/kg/d of rhIL-3 for 11 to 14 days increased levels of
circulating colony-forming units megakaryocyte (CFU- Mk) by approximately
15-fold in five rhesus monkeys without raising their platelet counts. In
contrast, administration of 30 micrograms/kg/d of rhIL-6 for 10 days in
four animals did not increase CFU-Mk levels but significantly raised
platelet counts from a mean pretreatment value of 460 x 10(3)/microL (range
360 to 610) to a mean maximum of 746 x 10(3)/microL (665 to 790) on day 8.
If monkeys were pretreated with rhIL-3 (33 or 100 micrograms/kg/d for 11
days) to expand their CFU-Mk compartment, the thrombopoietic effect of
rhIL-6 was synergistically enhanced leading to platelet counts above 1,000
x 10(3)/microL (mean maximum value 1,247) in all three primates studied.
The sequential administration of rhIL-3 and rhIL-6 might represent a
powerful strategy to stimulate thrombopoiesis in vivo.
Volume 79,
Issue 5,
pp. 1155-1160,
03/01/1992
Copyright © 1992 by The American Society of Hematology
