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Relationship between the phenotypes of circulating erythrocytes and cultured erythroblasts in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

To investigate erythropoiesis in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), we studied the expression of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored membrane proteins on circulating erythrocytes and erythroblasts obtained by erythropoietic cell culture in nine patients with this disease. One-color and two-color flow cytometric analyses were performed using monoclonal antibodies for decay-accelerating factor (DAF) and/or CD59/membrane attack complex-inhibitory factor (MACIF). In addition, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) analysis was performed to assess apoptosis of erythroblasts from six patients. On flow cytometric analysis, cases 1 to 6 had positive and negative erythrocyte populations, case 7 intermediate and negative populations, case 8 positive, intermediate, and negative populations, and case 9 a single double-negative population. In addition, cases 1 to 6 and 8 had positive, intermediate, and negative erythroblast populations, while cases 7 and 9 had intermediate and negative populations. The percentage of double-negative erythrocytes showed a significant correlation with that of double-negative erythroblasts (r = .741, P < .05). In seven of nine patients, more erythroblasts than erythrocytes were negative for the two membrane proteins. Also, some patients with an intermediate population of erythrocytes did not necessarily show an increase of PNH II erythroblasts. Apoptosis of PNH erythroblasts was also detected, but the percentage of apoptotic cells in PNH patients showed no difference from that in healthy volunteers. These findings suggest that the final phenotype of mature erythrocytes in PNH is determined during maturation from erythroblasts to erythrocytes by the disappearance or persistence of PNH II erythroblasts. In addition, PNH erythroblasts in vitro may be partly lost by apoptosis, but apoptosis does not play an important role in determining GPI-linked protein expression.

Adult↗

Electron microscopic study of erythroblastic islands obtained by 'tissue-stamp culture' method.

A new 'tissue-stamp culture' method was developed for stamping proliferating erythroblasts of mouse spleens on collagen-coated coverslips after inducing haemolytic anaemia by administration of 1-acetyl-2-phenylhydrazine, and then adherent splenic cells were cultured for a few days. We could obtain many erythroblastic islands, where cultured erythroblasts were located over macrophages and were proliferated synchronously for 10-30 h, and then the erythroblasts were differentiated and enucleated after 30-50 h in the presence of erythropoietin. To observe three-dimensional structures of the erythroblastic islands, a scanning electron microscope was used for the cultured cells treated with critical point-drying method. Immature wrinkled erythroblasts with many micropinocytic pits were attached to the central area of the flattened macrophages with many cytoplasmic projections, though matured erythroblasts were localized on their peripheral areas. Moreover, cytoplasmic projections of underlying macrophages, which were attached to the matured erythroblasts, were decreased in number. At a late stage, deep cytoplasmic invaginations of erythroblasts observed at a middle stage became shallow after their enucleation and flattened to form their concave shapes. This 'tissue-stamp culture' system would be useful for studying specific interaction between stromal macrophages and haematopoietic cells.

Anemia, Hemolytic↗

Scavenger macrophages and central macrophages of erythroblastic islands in liver hemopoiesis of the fetal and early postnatal mouse: a semithin light- and electron-microscopic study.

The livers of 12-day mouse embryos contain many hemopoietic cells in the hepatic cords and macrophages which are laden with large heterophagosomes in the sinusoids. Macrophages, as scavengers, engulfed circulating primitive erythroblasts from the yolk sac, as well as nuclei expelled from erythroblasts. At the 14th day of gestation, scavenger macrophages in mitosis were seen, extending long and thin cytoplasmic projections from their cell surface. At the 13-14 day of gestation, macrophages migrated from sinusoids into hepatic cords, and erythroblasts gathered around them, thus forming cell clusters designated as erythroblastic islets. Central macrophages formed a cell-socket-like structure on their cell surface for surrounding erythroblasts, reflecting the close association between macrophages and erythroblasts. In the erythroblastic islands, contained in late fetal and neonatal livers, erythroblasts have dissociated from the central macrophages having a starfish-shaped cell profile. The macrophage-erythroblastic association in the islands became less marked rapidly after birth.

Animals↗

Suppression of Fas-FasL coexpression by erythropoietin mediates erythroblast expansion during the erythropoietic stress response in vivo.

Erythropoietin (Epo) is the principal regulator of the erythropoietic response to hypoxic stress, through its receptor, EpoR. The EpoR signals mediating the stress response are largely unknown, and the spectrum of progenitors that are stress responsive is not fully defined. Here, we used flow cytometry to identify stress-responsive Ter119+CD71highFSChigh early erythroblast subsets in vivo. In the mouse spleen, an erythropoietic reserve organ, early erythroblasts were present at lower frequencies and were undergoing higher rates of apoptosis than equivalent cells in bone marrow. A high proportion of splenic early erythroblasts coexpressed the death receptor Fas, and its ligand, FasL. Fas-positive early erythroblasts were significantly more likely to coexpress annexin V than equivalent, Fas-negative cells, suggesting that Fas mediates early erythroblast apoptosis in vivo. We examined several mouse models of erythropoietic stress, including erythrocytosis and beta-thalassemia. We found a dramatic increase in the frequency of splenic early erythroblasts that correlated with down-regulation of Fas and FasL from their cell surface. Further, a single injection of Epo specifically suppressed early erythroblast Fas and FasL mRNA and cell-surface expression. Therefore, Fas and FasL are negative regulators of erythropoiesis. Epo-mediated suppression of erythroblast Fas and FasL is a novel stress response pathway that facilitates erythroblast expansion in vivo.

Animals↗

Transferrin receptor hyperexpression in primary erythroblasts is lost on transformation by avian erythroblastosis virus.

In primary chicken erythroblasts (stem cell factor [SCF] erythroblasts), transferrin receptor (TfR) messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein were hyperexpressed as compared to nonerythroid chicken cell types. This erythroid-specific hyperexpression was abolished in transformed erythroblasts (HD3E22 cells) expressing the v-ErbA and v-ErbB oncogenes of avian erythroblastosis virus. TfR expression in HD3E22 cells could be modulated by changes in exogenous iron supply, whereas expression in SCF erythroblasts was not subject to iron regulation. Measurements of TfR mRNA half-life indicated that hyperexpression in SCF erythroblasts was due to a massive stabilization of transcripts even in the presence of high iron levels. Changes in mRNA binding activity of iron regulatory protein 1 (IRP1), the primary regulator of TfR mRNA stability in these cells, correlated well with TfR mRNA expression; IRP1 activity in HD3E22 cells and other nonerythroid cell types tested was iron dependent, whereas IRP1 activity in primary SCF erythroblasts could not be modulated by iron administration. Analysis of avian erythroblasts expressing v-ErbA alone indicated that v-ErbA was responsible for these transformation-specific alterations in the regulation of iron metabolism. In SCF erythroblasts high amounts of TfR were detected on the plasma membrane, but a large fraction was also located in early and late endosomal compartments, potentially concealing temporary iron stores from the IRP regulatory system. In contrast, TfR was almost exclusively located to the plasma membrane in HD3E22 cells. In summary, stabilization of TfR mRNA and redistribution of Fe-Tf/TfR complexes to late endosomal compartments may contribute to TfR hyperexpression in primary erythroblasts, effects that are lost on leukemic transformation.

Alpharetrovirus↗

Prognostic significance of the presence of erythroblasts in blood after cardiothoracic surgery.

In patients suffering from a variety of severe diseases the detection of erythroblasts in peripheral blood is associated with poor prognosis. However, as yet the prognostic significance of erythroblasts in the blood of patients after cardiothoracic surgery has not been assessed. In a retrospective study we analyzed the database of 2074 patients, of whom 87 died in hospital during the postoperative period. All patients underwent cardiothoracic surgery using a heart-lung machine. Together with erythroblasts in blood, age, sex, body mass index, preoperative ejection fraction, smoking, diabetes mellitus, type of operation, emergency surgery, renal deficiency, pulmonary hypertension, and endocarditis were considered. The postoperative mortality of patients with erythroblasts in peripheral blood (n=57) was 45.6% (n=26), being significantly higher (p<0.001) than the mortality of patients without erythroblasts (3.0%). None of six patients with more than 2000 erythroblasts x 10(6)/l survived. The postoperative detection of erythroblasts is highly predictive of death, the odds ratio after adjustment for the other known prognostic factors being 7.2 (95% confidence interval 3.4-15.1). Erythroblasts were detected for the first time on average 11 +/- 2 days (median: 7 days; n=57) after surgery and 8 +/- 2 days (median: 6 days; n=26) before death. The detection of erythroblasts in blood after cardiothoracic surgery has a high prognostic significance in terms of in-hospital mortality, helping physicians to identify patients at high risk of death. This finding has to be confirmed by a prospective study with the use of a more sensitive and reliable technology and prospectively defined time intervals for counting blood cells.

Aged↗

A comparison of different density gradients and antibodies for enrichment of fetal erythroblasts by MACS.

The enrichment of fetal cells, in particular fetal erythroblasts from the blood of pregnant women offers a promising non-invasive alternative for prenatal diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to compare the retrieval of erythroblasts by different density gradients and different antibodies against erythroid surface antigens, in both a model test system and in blood samples of pregnant women. We enriched erythroblasts from artificial mixtures of cord and adult blood (1:50) and from 16 ml of peripheral blood from pregnant women at a mean gestational age of 14+2 weeks. The yield of erythroblasts was calculated and compared using Wilcoxon's matched-pairs signed-rank test. In the artificial mixture most erythroblasts were retrieved using the heaviest density gradient (specific density of 1119) followed by antibody-labelled magnetic cell sorting (MACS). With anti-GPA the yield of erythroblasts from the artificial mixture was highest (9362.5 erythroblasts) compared with anti-CD36 (5164.3), anti-i (3455.2), anti-CD71 (3055.8) and HAE9 (2364.2). The difference between anti-GPA and anti-CD71, HAE9 and anti-i was significant (p=0.0277). The enrichment of erythroblasts from peripheral blood of pregnant women showed similar results. The yield of erythroblasts using anti-GPA was the highest. These results enable us to simplify our enrichment protocols to a single density gradient of 1119 specific density followed by MACS, with anti-GPA.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Erythroblastic synartesis: an auto-immune dyserythropoiesis.

Erythroblastic synartesis is a rare form of acquired dyserythropoiesis, first described by Breton-Gorius et al in 1973. This syndrome is characterized by the presence of septate-like membrane junctions and "glove finger" invaginations between erythroblasts, which are very tightly linked together. This phenomenon, responsible for ineffective erythropoiesis, leads to an isolated severe anemia with reticulocytopenia. In the following report, we describe 3 new cases of erythroblastic synartesis associated with dysimmunity and monoclonal gammapathy. In all cases, the diagnosis was suggested by characteristic morphological appearance of bone marrow smears, and further confirmed by electron microscopy. Ultrastructural examination of abnormal erythroblast clusters showed that these cells were closely approximated with characteristic intercellular membrane junctions. The pathogenesis of the dyserythropoiesis was modeled in vitro using crossed erythroblast cultures and immunoelectron microscopy: when cultured in the presence of autologous serum, the erythroblasts from the patients displayed synartesis, whereas these disappeared when cultured in normal serum. Moreover, synartesis of normal erythroblasts were induced by the patient IgG fraction. Immunogold labeling showed that the monoclonal IgG were detected in, and restricted to, the synartesis. A discrete monoclonal plasmacytosis was also found in the patient bone marrow. The adhesion receptor CD36 appeared to be concentrated in the junctions, suggesting that it might be involved in the synartesis. These experiments indicated that a monoclonal serum immunoglobulin (IgG in the present cases) directed at erythroblast membrane antigen was responsible for the erythroblast abnormalities. Specific therapy of the underlying lymphoproliferation was followed by complete remission of the anemia in these cases.

Adult↗

Apoptosis of late-stage erythroblasts in megaloblastic anemia: association with DNA damage and macrocyte production.

An in vitro model of folate-deficient erythropoiesis has been developed using proerythroblasts isolated from the spleens of Friend virus-infected mice fed an amino acid-based, folate-free diet. Control proerythroblasts were obtained from Friend virus-infected mice fed the same diet plus 2 mg folic acid/kg diet. Our previous studies showed that, after 20 to 32 hours of culture in folate-deficient medium with 4 U/mL of erythropoietin, the folate-deficient proerythroblasts underwent apoptosis, whereas control erythroblasts survived and differentiated into reticulocytes over a period of 48 hours. The addition of folic acid or thymidine to the folate-deficient medium prevented the apoptosis of the folate-deficient erythroblasts, thereby implicating decreased thymidylate synthesis as the main cause of apoptosis in the folate-deficient erythroblasts. In the study reported here, we examined intracellular folate levels, uracil misincorporation into DNA, p53 and p21 proteins, and reticulocyte formation in erythroblasts cultured in folate-deficient or control medium. In all experiments, the folate-deficient erythroblasts cultured in folate-deficient medium gave results that varied significantly from folate-deficient erythroblasts cultured in control medium or control erythroblasts cultured in either folate-deficient or control media. Folate-deficient erythroblasts cultured in folate-deficient medium had marked decreases in all coenzyme forms of folate that persisted throughout culture, increased uracil misincorporation into DNA, persistent accumulations of p53 and p21, and decreased reticulocyte production but increased size of individual reticulocytes. A model of folate-deficient erythropoiesis based on apoptosis of late stage erythroblasts is presented. This model provides explanations for the clinical findings in megaloblastic anemia.

Anemia, Megaloblastic↗

Quantitative ultrastructural characterisation of rabbit erythroblasts and of 3H uridine incorporation into their nuclear components.

Electron microscopic-autoradiographic and morphometric investigations were carried out in erythroblasts from rabbit bone marrow. 1. to obtain quantitative data for the erythroblast classes. 2. to determine quantitative-morphometrically the incorporation rate of 3H uridine into the cell components of the different erythroblast classes. 3. to evaluate the influence of UV irradiation on the incorporation of 3H uridine. According to ultrastructural criteria erythroblasts are divided into 3 classes: basophilic erythroblasts (BE), polychromatic erythroblasts (PE) and orthochromatic erythroblasts (OE). The areas of the 3 classes of erythroblasts are in a ratio of 1:0.5:0.43. In all classes the portion of the nucleus is between 56 and 58.8%. The portion of mitochondria decreases from 13.3% (BE) to 9.3% (PE), and to 6.3% (OE) respectively. Simultaneously the portion of heterochromatin in the nuclear area rises from 24.2% (BE) to 49.8% (PE), and to 63.2% (OE) whereas the percentage of euchromatin decreased correspondingly. Nucleoli were found only in 78% of the BE and in 3.4% of the PE. For the quantitative determination of the silver grains and silver filaments, respectively, the morphometric procedures have been adapted to the particular conditions. So it was necessary to estimate the areas covered by silver grains of filaments. The silver grains or filaments localised in the nuclear area are in the range from 84.6 to 93.4%. The percentage of silver grains of the total cellular area is 14.4% in BE, 6.8% in PE and 4% in OE. In a similar way the relative values of the nucleolus (total) and the euchromatin and heterochromatin are reduced. UV irradiation of bone marrow in vitro for 10 to 20 min does not cause any significant changes in the incorporation of 3H uridine. This result is in contrast to other published experiments on the influence of UV on the RNA synthesis. It is assumed that the irradiation dose was too low to induce a measurable effect on the RNA synthesis or the point of investigation was too early.

Animals↗

Very late activation antigen 4-vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 interaction is involved in the formation of erythroblastic islands.

Erythroblastic islands are anatomical units consisting of a central macrophage surrounded by erythroblasts. We studied the adhesion molecules involved in the formation of these structures. Central macrophages of erythroblastic islands isolated from the spleens of phlebotomized mice were clearly stained for vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1). The surrounding erythroblasts of the erythroblastic islands strongly expressed the alpha 4 integrin of very late activation antigen 4 (VLA-4: alpha 4 beta 1 integrin), the counter receptor of VCAM-1, whereas most reticulocytes and erythrocytes did not. Both monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against alpha 4 integrin and VCAM-1 disrupted the erythroblastic islands cultured in the presence of erythropoietin. Moreover, adhesion of splenic erythroblasts to tumor necrosis factor alpha-stimulated mouse splenic endothelial cells, which showed high expression of VCAM-1 but not intercellular adhesion molecule 1, was inhibited by the anti-VCAM-1 and anti-alpha 4 mAbs. These findings suggest that VLA-4-VCAM-1 interaction plays a crucial role in the formation of erythroblastic islands.

Animals↗

Approximately half of the erythroblasts in maternal blood are of fetal origin.

The enrichment of fetal erythroblasts from the peripheral blood of pregnant women is currently actively pursued for the development of a non-invasive means of prenatal diagnosis. Since erythroblasts in maternal blood are not all of fetal origin, and currently no reliable method exists to distinguish between the maternal and fetal erythroblasts, their use for prenatal diagnosis is not without uncertainty. The purpose of this study was to determine the percentage of fetal erythroblasts in maternal blood at the single cell level and to what extent such cells can reproducibly be used for polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based prenatal diagnostic analyses. Erythroblasts were enriched from the peripheral blood of rhesus negative pregnant women using magnetic cell sorting (MACS). Single erythroblasts identified morphologically were individually micromanipulated and analysed by a multiplex PCR reaction for the fetal SRY and rhesus D genes. As a control for the PCR reaction the beta-globin gene was used. The PCR results were validated by the results obtained by invasive procedures. In all instances where single erythroblasts were examined, the correct fetal genotype for the two fetal specific loci was detected. Furthermore, our results indicate that approximately 50% of the enriched erythroblasts are of fetal origin.

DNA-Binding Proteins↗

Congenital dyserythropoietic anaemia with novel intra-erythroblastic and intra-erythrocytic inclusions.

A hitherto undescribed form of congenital dyserythropoietic anaemia is reported. The patient was severely anaemic and hydropic at birth and is now 8 years old. She has a moderate normochromic normocytic anaemia. HbF level of 50%, reticulocyte count of 5-12% and hyperbilirubinaemia. Bone marrow smears showed intense normoblastic erythroid hyperplasia with morphological evidence of dyserythropoiesis; the most common dysplastic features were basophilic stippling of polychromatic erythroblasts and erythrocytes and marked abnormalities of nuclear shape in polychromatic erythroblasts. Electron microscope studies showed that some polychromatic erythroblasts and several erythrocytes contained inclusions which were rounded, elongated or irregular in outline or were doughnut-shaped. These inclusions consisted of compact masses of tubules and saccules which may represent smooth endoplastic reticulum together with Golgi cisternae. The ultrastructural studies also revealed peculiar membrane-bound cylindrical structures in a rare late erythroblast, and phagocytosed erythroblasts within some macrophages. The technique of combined Feulgen microspectrophotometry and 3H-thymidine autoradiography demonstrated a pile-up of early polychromatic erythroblasts in the G1 and G2 phases of the cell cycle, indicating a prolongation of, or an arrest at, these phases. Furthermore, nearly a quarter of all erythroblasts failed to incorporate 3H-leucine into protein. Thus the anaemia appeared to be due to a combination of disordered erythroblast function, increased ineffectiveness of erythropoiesis and peripheral haemolysis. The primary defect may be an excessive synthesis or impaired degradation of intracytoplasmic membranes.

Anemia, Dyserythropoietic, Congenital↗

Incidence of nucleoli in erythroblasts in patients suffering from refractory anemia of myelodysplastic syndrome.

Nucleoli of erythroblasts have been studied in patients suffering from refractory anemia (RA) of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and in control patients without a disturbed erythropoiesis in order to provide information on the incidence of nucleoli and micronucleoli in these cells. Nucleoli in erythroblasts were visualized by a simple cytochemical procedure for the demonstration of RNA which facilitated the visualization not only large nucleoli but also micronucleoli in advanced stages of the erythroblastic maturation. In control patients nucleoli were detected in all stages of erythroblastic development. In patients suffering from RA of MDS, a relatively large population of polychromatic and orthochromatic erythroblasts was characterized by a loss of nucleoli accompanied by the decreased incidence of micronucleoli characteristic of these cells. In contrast to control patients, in patients suffering from RA of MDS the number of nucleoli expressed by the values of the nucleolar coefficient of erythroblasts was smaller, particularly in both the early and terminal stages of erythroblastic development. Thus in patients with RA of MDS both the abnormal loss of nucleoli and decreased number of nucleoli in erythroblasts apparently represent and reflect a further abnormality of disturbed erythropoiesis.

Anemia, Refractory↗

Bcl-x(L) prevents apoptosis of late-stage erythroblasts but does not mediate the antiapoptotic effect of erythropoietin.

The long form of B-cell lymphoma-x (Bcl-x(L)), an outer mitochondrial membrane protein, has been proposed to mediate the antiapoptotic action of erythropoietin on erythroid progenitor cells and to be necessary for heme synthesis in erythroblasts. Mice with conditional knockout of Bcl-x(L) (conditional bcl-x(-/-) mice) develop severe anemia that has been attributed to hemolysis and is accompanied by splenomegaly. We characterized further the anemia of conditional bcl-x(-/-) mice and investigated the role of Bcl-x(L) in the action of erythropoietin and in heme synthesis. We analyzed peripheral blood cells and cultured splenic erythroblasts of conditional bcl-x(-/-) mice and littermates that were rendered anemic by bleeding. Although they had massive splenic erythroblastosis, conditional bcl-x(-/-) mice had decreased circulating reticulocytes compared to littermates even prior to bleeding the littermates. Compared to erythroblasts of bled littermates, bcl-x(-/-) erythroblasts cultured with erythropoietin underwent apoptosis during the later, hemoglobin-synthesizing stages of differentiation. The bcl-x(-/-) erythroblasts synthesized heme, but at reduced rates compared to bled littermate erythroblasts. When cultured without erythropoietin, bcl-x(-/-) erythroblasts underwent apoptosis at early stages of differentiation, prior to hemoglobin synthesis. Bcl-x(L) is not required for heme synthesis and does not mediate the antiapoptotic effects of erythropoietin, but it prevents ineffective erythropoiesis due to apoptosis in late-stage, hemoglobin-synthesizing erythroblasts.

Animals↗

Role of pertussis toxin-sensitive guanosine triphosphate-binding proteins in the response of erythroblasts to erythropoietin.

Human progenitor-derived erythroblasts have been recently shown to respond to erythropoietin (Epo) with an increase in intracellular free calcium concentration [Cac]. To explore the role of guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding proteins in mediating the rise in [Cac], single day 10 erythroid burst forming unit (BFU-E)-derived erythroblasts loaded with Fura-2 were pretreated with pertussis toxin (PT), stimulated with Epo, and [Cac] measured over 18 minutes with fluorescence microscopy coupled to digital video imaging. The [Cac] increase in day 10 erythroblasts stimulated with Epo was blocked by pretreatment with PT in a dose-dependent manner but not by heat-inactivated PT. These observations provided strong evidence that a PT-sensitive GTP-binding protein is involved. To further characterize the GTP-binding protein, day 10 erythroblast membrane preparations were solubilized, electrophoresed, and immunoblotted with antibodies specific for the known PT-sensitive G-protein subunits: the three subtypes of Gia (1,2, and 3) and Goa, Gia1 or Gia3 and Gia2 were identified but no Goa was found. To examine the influence of Epo on adenylate cyclase activity, day 10 erythroblasts were initially treated with Epo, isolated membrane preparations made, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production by adenylate cyclase in membrane preparations in the presence of theophylline measured. Epo did not inhibit but significantly stimulated adenylate cyclase activity. However, the mechanism of increase of [Cac] appears to be independent of adenylate cyclase stimulation because treatment of erythroblasts with the cell-permeant dibutyryl cAMP failed to increase [Cac]. In summary, pertussis toxin blocks the increase in [Cac] in erythroblasts after Epo stimulation suggesting that this response is mediated through a pertussis toxin-sensitive GTP-binding protein. Candidate PT-sensitive GTP-binding proteins identified on day 10 erythroblasts were Gia 1, 2, or 3, but not Goa.

Adenylate Cyclase Toxin↗

Origin and fate of the central macrophages of erythroblastic islands in the fetal and neonatal mouse liver.

Erythroblastic islands were examined by ultrastructure and ultrastructural histochemistry in fetal and early neonatal livers of the mouse. The liver primordium of day 11 embryos contained not only immature hemopoietic cells in the hepatic cords but also macrophages in expanded sinusoids. At 12 and 13 days of gestation, macrophages bearing large cytoplasmic inclusions increased in number, and some of them moved from the sinusoids into the hepatic cords. A ring of erythroblasts surrounded the macrophages, and erythroblastic islands could be identified at 14 days of gestation. Fetal livers contained two kinds of macrophages: sinusoidal macrophages and central macrophages of the erythroblastic islands. These macrophages exhibited a similar binding pattern to Griffonia simplicifolia isoagglutinin-IB4 (GS-IB4) and soybean agglutinin (SBA). Fetal hepatocytes, however, did not appear to engage in active phagocytosis, and the binding patterns of GS-IB4 and SBA differed significantly between hepatocytes and the two kinds of macrophages. In the early postnatal mouse, a marked decrease in the number of erythroblastic islands occurred. Erythroblasts left the central macrophages, and the macrophages subsequently underwent degeneration. The erythroblastic islands finally disappeared at the end of liver hemopoiesis, and the degenerated central macrophages were removed by scavenger macrophages in the perisinusoidal space. Our data demonstrate that scavenger macrophages play an essential role in the development of hepatic hemopoiesis, with special reference to the formation and dissolution of erythroblastic islands.

Animals↗

delta-Aminolevulinic acid synthetase in erythroblasts of patients with pyridoxine-responsive anemia. Hypercatabolism caused by the increased susceptibility to the controlling protease.

Properties of delta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase in erythroblasts of patients with pyridoxine-responsive anemia were investigated with special reference to the protease in mitochondria of erythroblasts. delta-Aminolevulinic acid synthetase activity in erythroblasts of patients with this disease before treatment was extremely decreased, whereas it gradually increased in parallel with the improvement of anemia by the therapy with pyridoxal phosphate. The amount of apo-delta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase in erythroblasts before treatment was also extremely diminished. Apparent affinity to pyridoxal phosphate of the apo-delta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase obtained from erythroblasts of the patients was almost the same as that of normal controls. The activity of a new protease which is considered to be engaged in the regulation of delta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase levels in mitochondria of erythroblasts was shown to be in normal range in erythroblasts of the patients. On the other hand, apo-delta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase obtained from the patients was extremely sensitive to the protease. These results indicate that disturbance of heme synthesis characteristic to pyridoxine-responsive anemia could be ascribed to the hypercatabolism of delta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase caused by the increased susceptibility to the controlling protease in erythroblasts.

5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase↗