Recombinant rat stem cell factor synergizes with recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in vivo in mice to mobilize peripheral blood progenitor cells that have enhanced repopulating potential.

Splenectomized mice treated for 7 days with pegylated recombinant rat stem cell factor (rrSCF-PEG) showed a dose-dependent increase in peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) that have enhanced in vivo repopulating potential. A dose of rrSCF-PEG at 25 micrograms/kg/d for 7 days produced no significant increase in PBPC. However, when this dose of rrSCF-PEG was combined with an optimal dose of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF; 200 micrograms/kg/d), a synergistic increase in PBPC was observed. Compared with treatment with rhG-CSF alone, the combination of rrSCF-PEG plus rhG-CSF resulted in a synergistic increase in peripheral white blood cells, in the incidence and absolute numbers of PBPC, and in the incidence and absolute numbers of circulating cells with in vivo repopulating potential. These data suggest that low doses of SCF, which would have minimal, if any, effects in vivo, can synergize with optimal doses of rhG-CSF to enhance the mobilization of PBPC stimulated by rhG-CSF alone.