Humoral suppression of erythropoiesis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis.

Anemia due to inadequate red cell production often accompanies systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. We investigated its pathogenesis in 17 patients with these disorders, using a plasma clot culture system. In serum from normal donors and nonanemic patients CFU-E derived colony formation was not significantly altered by normal marrow cells (mean 74 +/- 12 colonies/6 x 10(4) cells), whereas colony formation was inhibited (mean 36 +/-6 colonies/6 x 10(4) cells) in serum from 10 anemic patients. In serum from anemic patients proliferation of the more primitive BFU-E was also reduced in three cases. In two patients with a humoral inhibitor, colony growth was suppressed by autologous marrow cells. In another patient without an inhibitor, colony formation was not suppressed by autologous bone marrow. The physical properties of this inhibitor are compatible with those of an immunoglobulin. Moreover, its presence is related to disease activity and it can be removed by successful therapy with either corticosteroids or plasma exchange. Circulating inhibitors of erythropoiesis may play an important role in causing severe anemia in patients with these rheumatic diseases.