[The role of hematopoietic growth factors on extensive apoptosis of myelodysplastic hematopoietic cells and its clinical significance].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of hematopoietic growth factors (HGFs) on apoptosis of hematopoietic cells in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients.

METHODS

CD34+ cells in bone marrow from 12 MDS patients were purified by an immunomagnetic beads sorting system. Apoptosis of hematopoietic precursors was assayed by propidium iodine staining and flow cytometric analysis.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

High dose rhEpo partly suppressed apoptosis of hematopoietic cells in MDS patients. At the 7th, 10th, 14th, cultured day, the apoptotic percentages of the high dose Epo group (rhEpo 200 U/ml or 100 U/ml) were substantially lower than that of the low dose group (20 U/ml, 2 U/ml and 0.2 U/ml) and showed a dose-dependent effect with rhEpo. rhGM-CSF and rhIL-3 could also suppress hematopoietic cell apoptosis in vitro, the differences between the high dose group (rhIL-3 200 U/ml or rhGM-CSF 500 U/ml) and the low dose group (rhIL-3 50 U/ml or rhGM-CSF 50 U/ml) were significant. Extensive apoptosis of myelodysplastic hematopoietic cells were markely suppressed when rhEpo and rhIL-3 or rhEpo and rhGM-CSF were given together.