Abstract
This paper discribed the effect of ATG on heme synthesis of bone marrow erythroblasts from patients with RA by means of Krantz's method. A million bone marrow erythroblasts treated with ATG for 60 min. prior the bone marrow cells culture were cultured with 1.0 U of erythropoietin, 1 μCi of radioiron in 1.0ml of pH 7.4 NCTC 109 containing 20% human heated AB plasma at 37°C, containing 5% CO2 in air for 72 hrs. After incubation, radioiron activity incorporated into heme extracted by Teale's method was measured by a well type gamma-scintil-lator.
Results were as follows:
1) Heme synthesis of bone marrow erythroblast from patients with RA were lower than that of normal and iron deficient patients.
2) RA patient's plasma did not affect on the heme synthesis of bone marrow erythroblasts from normal subjects.
3) Heme synthesis of bone marrow erythroblasts from patients with RA obviously improved by the treatment with ATG.
These results suggest that the bone marrow lymphocytes of RA patients may be participating in the pathogenesis of anemia seen in RA patients.
