Jg. Zinkl et al., HEMATOLOGICAL, BONE-MARROW AND CLINICAL CHEMICAL-CHANGES IN NEONATAL FOALS GIVEN CANINE RECOMBINANT GRANULOCYTE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR, Equine veterinary journal, 26(4), 1994, pp. 313-318
Five Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse cross foals were given 20 mug cani
ne recombinant granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (rcG-CSF) per kg
bwt intramuscularly (i.m.) on the day of birth and 10 mug rcG-CSF/kg f
or 13 additional days. During this time and for an additional 21 days
haematology, bone marrow and clinical chemical analyses were performed
. After one day of rcG-CSF administration leucocyte and neutrophil cou
nts increased from 9.16 x 10(9)/l to 23.44 x 10(9)/l and from 6.45 x 1
0(9)/l to 19.61 x 10(9)/l, respectively. The counts continued to incre
ase for the next 3-4 days and then there was a slight decrease. A seco
nd increase followed and the leucocyte and neutrophil counts increased
to 52.84 x 10(9)/l and 45.16 x 10(9)/l on the day after the last rcG-
CSF administration (Day 15). The counts decreased rapidly immediately
after the administration of rcG-CSF was stopped and then at a slower r
ate. The cell counts were still higher than in the controls at the end
of the study period (Day 35). Bone marrow cellularity increased from
10-25% before rcG-CSF was given to 60-80% after 5 days. The increase i
n cellularity was due to increased myeloid activity because the myeloi
d to erythroid ratio increased from 2.7 to 8.8. Serum chemistry change
s were minimal although foals given rcG-CSF at various times had lower
glucose concentrations and increased alkaline phosphatase and gamma g
lutamyl transferase activities.