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Studies of the Anaemia in an Acute Rat Leukaemia
Author(s) -
Harriss Eileen B.,
Hoelzer D.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1974.tb00503.x
Subject(s) - haemolysis , spleen , red cell , phenylhydrazine , splenectomy , bone marrow , immunology , anemia , medicine , biology , physiology , endocrinology , chemistry , medicinal chemistry
S ummary . Possible reasons for the anaemia which develops in the acute myelomono‐cytic leukaemia, L 5222, in rats were investigated. The reduction in erythropoietic precursors in the bone marrow leads to a decreased output of erythrocytes to the blood, as demonstrated by 59 Fe‐labelling, but this reduced cell production is probably of only minor importance for the anaemia during the short course of the disease. Cross transfusion of 51 Cr‐labelled erythrocytes between normal and leukaemic donors, and also of 59 Fe‐labelled erythrocytes newly produced during the leukaemia, showed no evidence for an intrinsic red cell defect as a cause of anaemia, but indicated that the rapid loss of cells in the leukaemic animals was due to extrinsic factors. Since splenectomy did not alleviate the shortened red‐cell survival in leukaemic animals, it is assumed that the grossly enlarged spleen is not responsible for the rapid loss of cells. Comparison of the distribution pattern of 51 Cr in various organs of leukaemic animals with the patterns found after treatment of healthy rats with phenylhydrazine, to produce anaemia by haemolysis, or whole body irradiation, to produce anaemia mainly by bleeding, suggested that both haemolysis and haemorrhage occur in the leukaemia. An unexpected finding was the high amount of 51 Cr deposited in the liver, suggesting that this organ must be considered a major site of red‐cell destruction in this rat leukaemia.