Effects of Megakaryocyte Colony-stimulating Factor on Terminal Cytoplasmic Maturation of Human Megakaryocytes

Suspensions of enriched human megakaryocytes (MK) devoid of MK progenitors (CFU-MK) undergo complete cytoplasmic maturation in vitro. MK were cultured in the presence of normal human AB serum (NABS) to mimic "normal" development. The rate of maturation was not statistically altered by higher concentrations (10%-20%-30%) of NABS, or by the addition of bovine serum albumin (1.5%-3.0%), but was accelerated in the presence of aplastic anemia serum (AAS). Sera from eight different patients with severe aplastic anemia were effective in accelerating terminal differentiation. MK-CSF, a glycoprotein isolated from AAS, specifically augments MK colony formation by two- to sixfold. Similar doses of MK-CSF were ineffective in altering terminal cytoplasmic maturation. Anti-MK-CSF, a polyclonal antibody prepared against purified MK-CSF, neutralizes the ability of both purified MK-CSF and AAS to promote MK colony formation. However, AAS adsorbed with anti-MK-CSF still retained its ability to accelerate terminal differentiation. Apparently, AAS contains at least two separate humoral factors, which can regulate in vitro human megakaryocytopoiesis: MK-CSF, which stimulates proliferation of the progenitors (CFU-MK), and a maturation factor, which accelerates cytoplasmic maturation of morphologically recognizable megakaryocytes.