G. Garbossa et al., DEPRESSED ERYTHROID PROGENITOR-CELL ACTIVITY IN ALUMINUM-OVERLOADED MICE, Mineral and electrolyte metabolism, 22(4), 1996, pp. 214-218
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of aluminum (A
l) on in vivo erythropoiesis in mice that had received short- and long
-term Al overloading. At the end of each treatment period, clonal assa
ys of late erythroid progenitor cells (CFU-E) stimulated in vitro with
erythropoietin were carried out, hematological parameters determined,
and histological aluminon staining performed on bone and liver. After
2 weeks of oral ingestion of either Al chloride or Al citrate (10 mu
mol per day), poor CFU-E growth was obtained but no differences in hem
atocrit (Ht) and hemoglobin (Hb) values were found when comparing the
treated and control groups. CFU-E development, determined after loadin
g mice with Al citrate during 22 weeks (10 mu mol/day), proved to be h
eavily depressed, and significant reductions in Ht, Hb concentration a
nd erythrocyte osmotic fragility were also observed. No Al accumulatio
n could be demonstrated in tissue, using histological aluminon stainin
g. The results suggest that, even in the absence of signs of anemia, i
ngested Al may depress hematopoiesis by affecting red blood cell produ
ction and cell destruction.