Efficacy of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in rhesus monkeys.

The glycosylated and the non-glycosylated recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rh GM-CSF) expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells and E. coli, respectively, were administered in rhesus monkeys either by the subcutaneous (three times daily) or intravenous route (6-hr infusions) for seven consecutive days. Within 24 hr peripheral white blood cells (WBC) increased 2-3 fold over normal values. Thereafter, the WBC increased steadily in a dose-dependent manner to reach maximum levels on the last day of or one day after the treatment period. The differential counts showed that neutrophils contributed to 50-80%, eosinophils to 10-20%, monocytes to 2-7%, and lymphocytes to 15-30% of the WBC rise. No effect was found on platelets and erythrocytes. After termination of treatment, WBC counts returned to normal levels within one week. Subcutaneously administered CSF was more effective in inducing leukocytosis than that injected intravenously In addition to the rise in WBC, the administered rh GM-CSF also enhanced the oxidative metabolism and bactericidal activity of the circulating mature granulocytes isolated from the blood of monkeys treated with rh GM-CSF. These results show that glycosylated or non-glycosylated rh GM-CSF is both an effective stimulator of leukocytosis and a potent activator of the functional activity of mature granulocytes in vivo.

[Systemic reactions in rats following the initiation of a local inflammatory process by subcutaneous administration of spirits of turpentine]. / Systemische Reaktionen in Ratten nach Setzung lokal entzündlicher Prozesse durch subcutane Terpentinöl-Gaben.

Local inflammation was induced in rats by single (1 x 4 ml/kg) or multiple (14 X 0.2 ml/animal) infections of turpentine. The induction of inflammatory processes in both groups resulted in anemia and granulocytosis following an initial leukopenia. Thrombopenia on the second day, followed by thrombocytosis, was also observed in both groups. Studies on blood chemistry parameters revealed a decline in serum albumin; elevation of alkaline phosphatase in serum was observed only after multiple injection of turpentine. In these animals an elevation in the weights of spleen and adrenals and a reduction in the weight of thymus were also found.

Recombinant human GM-CSF induces leukocytosis and activates peripheral blood polymorphonuclear neutrophils in nonhuman primates.

The in vivo efficacy of glycosylated and nonglycosylated recombinant human granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rh GM-CSF) expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells and Escherichia coli respectively was studied in rhesus monkeys following a daily subcutaneous (SC; three times) or intravenous (IV; over six hours) dose for seven consecutive days. The monkeys responded to the rh GM-CSF with a prompt (within 24 hours) rise in circulating white blood cells (WBCs). Thereafter the total cell counts increased steadily in a dose-dependent manner with repeated dosing to numbers six times over the pretreatment levels. Overall, granulocyte counts increased fivefold, lymphocytes twofold to fourfold, and monocytes threefold to fourfold. Platelets and erythrocytes were unaffected. Within 1 week after the end of treatment the leukocytosis had disappeared. Of the two routes of treatment, SC (three times daily)-administered rh GM-CSF was more effective than the same dose given by a six-hour IV infusion. In addition to inducing leukocytosis, parenterally administered rh GM-CSF primed mature circulating granulocytes for enhanced oxidative metabolism and killing of an E coli strain. These results show that exogenously administered glycosylated or nonglycosylated rh GM-CSF is both an effective stimulator of leukocytosis and a potent activator of the phagocytic function of mature granulocytes in monkeys.