Stimulation of megakaryocytopoiesis and platelet production during growth of an experimental lymphoma.

The effect of malignant tumor growth on host's megakaryocytopoiesis and platelet production was studied in mice bearing transplantable Dalton's lymphoma. Tumor growth was paralleled by thrombocytosis, neutrophilia, and anemia. Platelet 51Cr half-life was normal but incorporation of 75Selenomethionine into circulating platelets was significantly enhanced in the tumor bearers suggesting stimulated thrombopoiesis while platelet life span remained unchanged. Megakaryocytes and their precursors, the small acetyl cholinesterase positive cells, were found in increased numbers in the bone marrow (BM) and particularly in the spleen where five to eight-fold rise was observed at the log phase of tumor growth. In addition, a remarkable increase in the number of megakaryocyte progenitors (CFU-MK and MK CFU-S) was observed both in the BM and spleen. Stimulation of these progenitors was more pronounced in the spleen than in the marrow, and the change was noticeable even from the third day of tumor bearing. Therefore, the results suggest that thrombocytosis associated with the growth of this experimental lymphoma was due to accelerated platelet production following stimulated megakaryocytopoiesis especially in the spleen.