ABSTRACT
The effectiveness of rhIL-11 on thrombocytopenia induced by carboplatin in rhesus monkeys was investigated. Thrombocytopenia was induced in monkeys by i.v. administration of carboplatin at a dose of 15 mg/kg(-1)/d(-1) for three consecutive days. rhIL-11 (50 or 100 micro g/kg(-1)/d(-1)) or Neumega (100 micro g/kg(-1)/d(-1)) were administered s.c. for 14 days beginning one day following the final dose of carboplatin. The results showed that rhIL-11 significantly improved mean platelet nadirs and shortened the mean duration of platelet counts less than 50% of pre-treatment values. Administration of rhIL-11 also resulted in moderate increase of the reticulated platelet, leukocyte and reticulocyte counts in peripheral blood and megakaryocytic and erythroid progenitors in bone marrow. rhIL-11 did not enhance ADP-induced platelet aggregation. These results indicate that rhIL-11 has a potent thrombopoietic effect in vivo and could be an important agent to reduce the severity and duration of thrombocytopenia following chemotherapy.