Effects of protein deficiency on the erythropoietic repopulation from shield femur in irradiated mice

Abstract

Effects of protein derivation on the erythropoietic repopulation from a shielded femur in irradiated mice

In this work are studied the effects of protein deprivation on the course of the endogenous erythropoietic restoration from a shielded femur in heavely irra­diated mice. The animals were given 150 rad total body x-irradiation which was followed by 750 rad with a hind limb shielded. The 59Fe uptake capacity in the shielded and unshielded femur and in the spleen as well, was used as a parameter of the erythropoietic recovery. On day 7 to 8 the animals fed with a normal diet showed a clear recovery in the shielded mcdullary area followed on day 9 to 11 of a striking recovery in the spleen. The administration of daily injection of erythropoietin only caused an increase in these values without changes in the cronology of the erythroid repopulation.

Protein deprivation in the diet caused a change in this pattern of response. Although the shielded femur followed a si­milar course of recovery and proved able to respond to erythropoietin stimulation, a lack of restorations of 50Fe up take capacity was observed in the unshielded areas which was particulary noticeable in the spleen. This lack of recovery in the heavely irradiated areas is interpreted as a damage caused by protein starvation on the emigrating, colonizing or diferentiating potentials of stem cells preserved in the shielded medular fractions.