title: In vitro inhibition of myelopoiesis by gold salts and D-penicillamine.
abstract: Leukopenia is one of the more serious side effects of gold and D-penicillamine therapy. We report that gold salts (gold thiomalate, gold chloride and gold thioglucose) and D-penicillamine suppressed the in vitro development of colonies of myeloid cells (macrophage, granulocyte and megakaryocyte) from progenitor cells in murine bone marrow; these drugs were also effective in inhibiting the development of macrophage and granulocytic colonies in human bone marrow. The drugs generally required concentrations of 10(-5) M in the murine system, whereas they were active at 10(-7)-10(-8) for the human progenitor cells. The disease suppressive activity of gold salts and D-penicillamine could result in part from the reduction of cell numbers in arthritic lesions; our findings would provide a mechanism for this possibility.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006051:Aurothioglucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D006046:Gold / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017612:Gold Compounds; D006052:Gold Sodium Thiomalate / Q000494:pharmacology; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008533:Megakaryocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D017612:Gold Compounds; C038016:gold chloride; D006052:Gold Sodium Thiomalate; D006051:Aurothioglucose; D006046:Gold; D010396:Penicillamine