The role of lithium in increasing granulocytes and, platelet production has been studied. The author has investigated the stimulation effect of lithium on granulopoiesis and megakaryopoiesis together and singly to see whether it has a direct effect on the stem cell or an indirect colony stimulating effect when the intergrity of T-lymphocytes. The liquid system was used in murine hematopcietic cell culture.
The results were as follows;
1. Comparing to the control (25,642 11,273 /ml) total colonies were not increased with lithium during hematopoietic cell culture.
2. In a conditioned medium and stimulated by pokeweed mitogen, colony numbers cultured with a 2.0, and 4.0 mEq/L concentration of the lithium respectively, increased 2-3 times compared with those of the control.
3. The increment of total colonies were 2 to 6 ´times in proportion to the concentration from 1.0 to 4.OmEq/L of the Lithium, cultured in a conditioned medium and stimulated by lithium alone, and also the colony stimulating activity was more potent when the pokeweed mitogen was added to the lithiunn.
4. When cyclosporin A., an inhibitor of the T-lymphocyte function, was added to the conditioned medium once with pokeweed mitogen present and once without pokeweed mitogen, colony stimulating activity decreased to about 15% of the control group.
5. The distribution of megakaryocytic colonies were not different from the control (16.5 ´6.7%) with or without pokeweed mitogen in any concentration of lithium.
In summary, the lithium induced granulopoiesis and megakaryopoiesis were not stimulated to the stern cell directly, but cause to an enhancement stimulating activity when the integrity of the T´-lymphocytes function is required.
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