Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors in erythropoiesis.

PG synthesis inhibitors were used to study the role of PG in modulating Ep effects on erythroid progenitors. The stimulating effect of exogenous Ep on both 59Fe incorporation into RBC and CFU-E number in polycythaemic mice was inhibited with indomethacin and aspirin treatment during the posthypoxic period. The inhibitory effect of indomethacin on CFU-E derived colonies was demonstrated only when cultured bone marrow and spleen cells were obtained from mice stimulated by prolonged exposure to hypoxia. The results implicate the role of PG in the Ep dependent regulation of the erythroid progenitor cell compartment size and Ep responsiveness in vivo.