Depressed erythroid progenitor cell activity in aluminum-overloaded mice

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of aluminum (Al) on in vivo erythropoiesis in mice that had received short- and long-term Al overloading. At the end of each treatment period, clonal assays of late erythroid progenitor cells (CFU-E) stimulated in vitro with erythropoietin were carried out, hematological parameters determined, and histological aluminon staining performed on bone and liver. After 2 weeks of oral ingestion of either Al chloride or Al citrate (10 mumol per day), poor CFU-E growth was obtained but no differences in hematocrit (Ht) and hemoglobin (Hb) values were found when comparing the treated and control groups. CFU-E development, determined after loading mice with Al citrate during 22 weeks (10 mumol/day), proved to be heavily depressed, and significant reductions in Ht, Hb concentration and erythrocyte osmotic fragility were also observed. No Al accumulation could be demonstrated in tissue, using histological aluminon staining. The results suggest that, even in the absence of signs of anemia, ingested Al may depress hematopoiesis by affecting red blood cell production and cell destruction.