To determine the toxic effect of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on granulopoiesis in vitro, cultures of myeloid progenitor cells for granulocytes and macrophages CFU-GM in semisolid agar medium were used to evaluate colony formation and tritiated thymidine suicide technique for analysis of cycling status of CFU-GM. Male Fischer rats, 5 to 6 weeks old, were given a single i.p. injection of 1 mg/kg or 0.1 mg/kg of AFB1 which were approximately 1/5 or 1/50, respectively, of LD50 dose of AFB1. The administration of either dose of AFB1 caused a significant reduction of the number of CFU-GM derived colonies on the first and the second day after injection. This reduction was followed by a strong enhancement in CFU-GM colony formation on the third day, and by restoration to the normal level on the fourth day. The increase in percentage of CFU-GM in S-phase preceded one day the peak in CFU-GM colony formation. The two different doses of AFB1 exerted similar effects on the growth and cycling status of CFU-GM. Our data outline an early suppressive effect exerted by AFB1 to the rat granulopoiesis in vivo.

Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion Prague Czechoslovakia