Abstract
Renal failure was produced in two groups of dogs by partial surgical ablation of the kidney. A third group of dogs served as controls. The control group and one renal failure group were maintained on a diet containing normal levels of phosphorus. The other renal failure group was maintained on a low phosphorus diet. A mild anemia developed in the dogs of the two renal failure groups. The drop in hematocrit was significantly correlated with the serum levels of parathyroid hormone but not with serum levels of erythropoietin. The anemia was not caused by iron deficiency or increased erythrocyte concentrations of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate. Subsequently, the dogs were acutely depleted of 20 to 25% of their blood volume. Erythroid regeneration was evaluated with daily hematocrit measurements, radioactive iron incorporation into erythrocytes, disappearance of radioactive iron from plasma, and serum erythropoietin levels. Erythropoietin levels of the renal failure groups were lower than those of control animals; however, their erythroid regenerative capacity was comparable to that of control animals when serum parathyroid hormone levels were lowered by reduced dietary levels of phosphorus. Serum from dogs of the three experimental groups was added to erythroid bone marrow cultures. At a level of 20% of the culture medium, dog serum was inhibitory to the production of erythroid colonies from dog bone marrow cells. At a level of 10% of the culture medium, dog serum was generally stimulatory to the production of erythroid bursts. The inhibitory or stimulatory effect of the serum had no correlation with the health status of the serum donor. Addition of purified parathyroid hormone to the culture medium at levels of 25 to 150 ng/ml increased the number of erythroid colonies produced but had a definite inhibitory effect upon the production of erythroid bursts. Based on the data derived from the in vivo studies, it was concluded that serum parathyroid hormone levels had a greater influence upon the anemia of chronic renal failure than did serum erythropoietin levels.
Petrites-Murphy, Marie Bernadette (1986). The significance of parathyroid hormone in the pathogenesis of the anemia of chronic renal failure. Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -22945.