Shortened platelet survival as a cause of thrombocytopenia in mice with L1210 leukemia

Thrombocytopenia is a frequent complication of acute leukemias of humans and animals. To define the possible causes of this decrease in platelets, we have studied platelet kinetics in mice after transplantation of 10(6) ascites cells from mice bearing L1210 leukemia. The circulating half-time of 51Cr-labeled platelets was reduced to approximately one-half that of controls when studied 1 or 3 days posttransplantation. Recovery of transfused 51Cr-labeled platelets was reduced to approximately one-half that in controls when studied 3 days after introduction of L1210 cells. Megakaryocyte concentration showed no change during the 5-day survival after i.v. infusion of leukemic cells but was increased on Day 5 and i.p. inoculation with an average host survival of 7 days. Megakaryocyte diameter distributions were significantly shifted toward larger sizes beginning on Day 2 after i.v. inoculation and on Day 3 after i.p. inoculation. Twenty-four-hr [3H]thymidine labeling indices of megakaryocytes were significantly increased beginning on Day 3 after i.v. inoculation but were significantly decreased on Days 5 and 6 after i.p. introduction of L1210 cells. We conclude that the decrease in platelets in mice transplanted with L1210 leukemia results primarily from shortened platelet survival and organ pooling. Megakaryocytes remain normal in concentration but increase in size, a usual response to decreases in platelet count.