Reversal of azidothymidine-induced bone marrow suppression by 2',3'-dideoxythymidine as studied by hemopoietic clonal culture.

The hematological toxicity of the antiviral drug azidothymidine (AZT) was studied in vitro by measuring the cell growth of hematopoietic progenitor cells obtained from normal bone marrow. AZT inhibited the growth of granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) and early and late erythroid (BFU-E and CFU-E) progenitors in a dose-dependent manner. The hemopoietic inhibition of AZT was significantly reduced by the addition of 2',3'-dideoxythymidine (2',3'-ddT). The results suggest that 2',3'-ddT may be of potential value in reducing AZT toxicity.