[The effects of thrombopoietin and interleukin-11 on bone marrow megakaryocytic progenitors in patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in vitro].

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effects of recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO) and rhTPO in combination with recombinant human interleukin-11(rhIL-11) on the megakaryocyte (MK) colony growth and maturation in patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (CITP) in vitro.

METHODS

Bone marrow (BM) mononuclear cells of 21 patients with CITP were cultured in plasma clot culture systems, to which were added rhTPO alone or rhTPO plus rhIL-11 over a range of concentrations. After 14 days, the MK colonies were stained by GP III a Mc Ab(SZ-21) and ABC-Kit and counted. The diameters and areas of the positive cells of GP III a were measured by BM-cell analysis system of MCDS-2010.

RESULTS

The diameters and areas of MK in CITP group were significantly lower than that in control group, P < 0.05. The addition of rhTPO to culture systems increased CFU-MK, total colonies and diameters and areas of MK in CITP patients. And this promoting effect was not dose-dependent. The optimal concentration of rhTPO was 10 ng/ml; in the group where 10 ng/ml rhTPO was used in combination with 20 ng/ml rhIL-11, the counts of CFU-MK, total colonies and the measurements of areas and diameters of MK increased significantly, compared with those in the group where rhTPO was used alone.

CONCLUSION

There are maturation dysfunctions of MK progenitors in patients with CITP. rhTPO alone or in combination with rhIL-11 can promote the proliferation and maturation of MK progenitors in patients with CITP and, moreover, the combination of the two cytokines has more significant promoting effects, compared to rhTPO alone.