The effect of vinblastine on CFU-E in normal and W anaemic mice.

Using a plasma clot technique, we studied the comparative levels of in vitro erythroid colony forming units (CFU-E) of normal and W anaemic mice following intravenous (IV) injection of 6.25 mg/kg of vinblastine (VBL). Mice used in this study were C57Bl/6J, WBB6F1, (+/+,Wv/+ and W/Wv). CFU-E content was looked at on day 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 following IV VBL. The CFU-E content of bone marrow (BM) and spleen was adequate prior to VBL treatment in all four mouse strains tested. We found IV VBL resulted in a significant rebound of CFU-E production in spleens of all four mouse strains. Most CFU-E production occurred on days 7 and 10 post VBL. The total CFU-E content of BM was not significantly affected by VBL in C57Bl/6J, WBB6F1, +/+ and Wv/+ mice. However, a significant reduction of total CFU-E was seen in the BM of WBB6F1, W/Wv mice. This plus the fact that increased CFU-E is seen in the spleen of all mouse strains including W/Wv suggests that there may be differing cellular or environmental factor(s) in different hematological organs controlling CFU-E of the W/Wv mouse.