Acetylcholinesterase in the human erythron. III. Regulation of differentiation

AbstractAcetylcholinesterase (AChE) is present in both primitive and mature erythroid cells, but a role for the enzyme in human hematopoiesis has not been defined. This prospect represented the primary objective of the following study. In clonal culture of normal human bone marrow cells, a “wave” of AChE activity was demonstrated, rising from undetectable levels to a peak (of 1.48 femto‐moles per min per cell) at 10 days in the course of progressive erythroid clonogenesis. At concentrations of enzyme inhibitor that clearly reduced AChE activity in a dose‐dependent fashion, there was no overall effect on erythropoiesis in vitro, but the clones were generally smaller and significantly more often multi‐focal than in control cultures. Furthermore, in the presence of AChE inhibitors, a concentration‐dependent increase in the myeloid‐erythroid ratios of the culture harvests was observed. Likewise, a clear reduction in hemoglobination was revealed, in cells of 10 day cultures, from a mean hemoglobin concentration of 35.0 pg per cell in controls to 20.1 pg per cell in the presence of the maximal concentration of the inhibitor (10−6M eserine). These data point to a role for AChE in the regulation of differentiation in the human erythron.

Acetylcholinesterase in the human erythron. III. Regulation of differentiation Journal Articles