The influence of sodium fluoride on the clonogenecity of human hematopoietic progenitor cells: Preliminary report

Since fluoride accumulates not only in bones but also in bone marrow caviti es where hematopoiesis occurs, a preliminary study was undertaken of the po tential toxicity of sodium fluoride (NaF) against early human myeloid (CFU- GM, Colony Forming Unit of Granulocyte-Macrophages) and erythroid (BFU-E, B urst Forming Unit of Erythrocytes) progenitors. CD34(+) cells isolated from human umbilical cord blood were exposed for 30 and 120 min at 37 degreesC or 4 degreesC to increasing concentrations of NaF (0, 1, 10 and 50 mM). At 1 mM NaF, a detectable but not statistically significant stimulatory effect was observed in 7 of the 8 different sets of experiments. At 10 and 50 mM, however, NaF was significantly toxic against cord blood CFU-GM and BFU-E p rogenitors. Fluoride may therefore be potentially toxic toward early human hematopoietic cells.