Protective effect of testosterone of 5?-dihydrotestosterone pretreatment on CFU-E numbers in busulfan-treated rabbits

Abstract

Busulfan is known to damage hematological stem cells. On the other hand, numerous steroid hormones have a stimulating effect on hematopoiesis. We wished to find out whether steroids have a protective effect on hematopoiesis in the case of busulfan treatment. This possibility was tested in vitro in rabbit bone marrow cultures, with and without in vivo pretreatment, with regard to erythropoiesis. The stimulating effect of testosterone or 5 beta-dihydrotestosterone on the CFU-E number in rabbit bone marrow cultures was blocked in the presence of busulfan. When rabbits were pretreated with either steroid before the administration of busulfan, however, the reduction of the CFU-E number seen after busulfan therapy alone was compensated. These results indicate that testosterone and the nonandrogenic 5 beta-dihydrotestosterone provide some protective effect on erythroid precursor cells when administered with reference to the cell-cycle-dependent action of busulfan.

A statistically significant sex difference in the number of colony-forming cells from human peripheral blood

“…In addition to a stimulation of renal erythropoietin production [7], a direct effect on bone marrow and hematopoietic stem cells has been described [2]. Testosterone and 5b-dihydrotestosterone pre-treatment exerted a protective effect on CFU-E numbers in busulfan-treated rabbits [19]. Testosterone has been shown to trigger pluripotent stem cells to enter the DNA-synthesis phase of the cell cycle [2].…”