The existence of activin A/erythroid differentiation factor and its inhibitor in human serum: comparison of normal and chronic renal failure sera.
Activin A/EDF, initially found as a differentiation inducer of murine Friend erythroleukemia, also has a stimulatory effect on erythropoiesis in vitro and in vivo. Here we proved activin A/EDF activity in human serum. The activin A/EDF level in 18 normal human serum samples was measured by a specific bioassay and was found to be 8.3 +/- 4.6 ng/ml, indicating that there exists sufficient activity to affect erythropoiesis in normal serum. In contrast, activin A/EDF activity was reduced in the chronic renal failure patients and 23/26 serum samples examined showed levels below 1.2 ng/ml. Further analysis using HPLC revealed that chronic renal failure serum actually contained as much activin A/EDF as normal serum, and that the difference between normal and patient serum existed in the content of a specific inhibitor of activin A/EDF. This observation suggests the possibility that the inhibitor is participating in the regulation of activin A/EDF activity in vivo in chronic renal failure patients and also the possibility of activin A/EDF could be utilized in the therapy of the anemia of such patients.
Shiozaki
M
M
Central Research Laboratories, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Kawasaki, Japan.
Sakai
R
R
Tabuchi
M
M
Shinohara
M
M
Kosaka
M
M
Saito
S
S
Eto
Y
Y
D028341:Activins; D000328:Adult; D001681:Biological Assay; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism*; D004915:Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects
D001798:Blood Proteins; D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins