PARTIAL AMELIORATION OF AZT-INDUCED MACROCYTIC ANEMIA IN THE MOUSE BYFOLIC-ACID

CBA/Ca mice being maintained on azidothymidine (AZT) in drinking water were given vitamin B-12 and folate in an effort to ameliorate the mac rocytic anemia associated with AZT administration. The B-12/folate reg imen was ineffectual, but higher doses of folate given daily resulted in an increase in RBC and a decrease in mean corpuscular hemoglobin (M CH) and polychromatophilic erythrocytes (PCE) while mean corpuscular v olume (MCV) remained relatively constant. The implications of these fi ndings on RBC production and hemoglobin synthesis are discussed.