Ethionine-Induced Depression of Plasma Antihemophilic Globulin in the Rat

Abstract

Intraperitoneal injection of 250 mg of ethionine in water markedly but transiently depressed the antihemophilic factor (AHF) content of the blood of male Slonaker rats within 18 hours. Since ethionine has no in vitro effect on AHF, this probably represents interference with synthesis of this protein rather than increased destruction. Other coagulation factors were also depressed but paper electrophoresis showed that some serum proteins were not affected at all. Decreased cellularity, fat deposition, and vacuolization of reticulo-endothelial cells were observed in bone marrow smears of treated animals, in addition to the frequently reported damage to liver and pancreas. Neither pancreatectomy in dogs nor CCl4-induced liver damage in rats had any effect on AHF levels. Therefore studies are in progress to determine a possible role of the reticulo-endothelial system.