Effect of IFN-α on Normal Human Hematopoiesis: An Immunohistochemical and Morphometric Study on Trephine Biopsy Specimens

Abstract

To elucidate the effects of interferon-α (IFN-α) on normal human bone marrow in vivo, an immunomorphometric study was performed using trephine biopsy specimens without hematopoietic pathology. Samples were derived from patients with mycosis fungoides but no marrow involvement, who were undergoing low-dose IFN-α treatment. Parameters included density of reticulin (argyrophilic) fibers, CD61⁺ megakaryocytes, PG-M₁ ⁺ macrophages, the GSA-I lectin-expressing (activated) macrophage subpopulation, proliferative activity (PCNA staining), and apoptosis. Following IFN-α therapy (3 × 3 × 10⁶ U/week between 6 and 21 months), morphometric evaluation of sequential bone marrow examinations revealed a significent increase in the number of megakaryocytes and the amount of reticulin fibers. Additionally, there was an overall decrease in PCNA⁺ cells, accompanied by a reduction in the incidence of apoptotic bodies. On the other hand, total number of macrophages and their activated subfraction remained unchanged. Opposed to in vitro findings, a fibrogenetic capacity of IFN-α associated with megakaryocyte growth was detectable. Moreover, contrasting with effects of IFN-α treatment in chronic myelogenous leukemia, the incidence of apoptosis was significantly reduced. This feature was assumed to contribute to a maintenance of steady-state hematopoiesis expressed by a nonaltered bone marrow cellularity in our specimens.