Microcytic anemia and changes in ferrokinetics as late after-effects of glucan administration in murine hepatitis virus-infected C57BL/10ScSnPh mice.

Mild microcytic anemia (without changes in mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, MCHC) was discovered 6-14 weeks after a single s.c. administration of 4 mg of particulate glucan to C57BL/10ScSnPh mice serologically positive for murine hepatitis (MHV). The anemia was associated with granulocytosis, decreased body weight and spleen hypertrophy. The overall intensity of erythropoiesis was measured by 59Fe-incorporation into the heme of erythropoietic organs. The localization of erythropoiesis became markedly redistributed--heme production was suppressed in the bone marrow while a several-fold increase was recorded for the spleen. A new steady state was also discovered in ferrokinetics: an iron pool localized away from the blood, erythropoietic organs and the liver was significantly elevated, and hypoferremia was detected. Anemia and wasting of mice were not observed in the same mouse strain free of MHV. A single administration of particulate glucan resulted in late impairment of red blood cell formation in the C57BL/10ScSnPh mouse strain infected with the mouse hepatitis virus. The anemia shares a number of features with those observed for the anemia of chronic diseases.