Background: Haematotoxicity of conventional chemotherapies often results in delays of treatment or reduction of chemotherapy dose. To ameliorate these side-effects, patients are routinely treated with blood transfusions or haematopoietic growth factors such as erythropoietin (EPO) or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). For the latter ones, pharmaceutical derivatives are available, which differ in absorption kinetics, pharmacokinetic and -dynamic properties. Due to the complex interaction of cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy and the stimulating effects of different growth factor derivatives, optimal treatment is a non-trivial task. In the past, we developed mathematical models of thrombopoiesis, granulopoiesis and erythropoiesis under chemotherapy and growth-factor applications which can be used to perform clinically relevant predictions regarding the feasibility of chemotherapy schedules and cytopenia prophylaxis with haematopoietic growth factors. However, interactions of lineages and growth-factors were ignored so far. Results: To close this gap, we constructed a hybrid model of human granulopoiesis and erythropoiesis under conventional chemotherapy, G-CSF and EPO applications. This was achieved by combining our single lineage models of human erythropoiesis and granulopoiesis with a common stem cell model. G-CSF effects on erythropoiesis were also implemented. Pharmacodynamic models are based on ordinary differential equations describing proliferation and maturation of haematopoietic cells. The system is regulated by feedback loops partly mediated by endogenous and exogenous EPO and G-CSF. Chemotherapy is modelled by depletion of cells. Unknown model parameters were determined by fitting the model predictions to time series data of blood counts and cytokine profiles. Data were extracted from literature or received from cooperating clinical study groups. Our model explains dynamics of mature blood cells and cytokines after growth-factor applications in healthy volunteers. Moreover, we modelled 15 different chemotherapeutic drugs by estimating their bone marrow toxicity. Taking into account different growth-factor schedules, this adds up to 33 different chemotherapy regimens explained by the model. Conclusions: We conclude that we established a comprehensive biomathematical model to explain the dynamics of granulopoiesis and erythropoiesis under combined chemotherapy, G-CSF, and EPO applications. We demonstrate how it can be used to make predictions regarding haematotoxicity of yet untested chemotherapy and growth-factor schedules.

<p>Intrauterusna restrikcija rasta (IUGR) se odnosi na stanje u kojem fetus nije u mogućnosti da ostvari svoj genetski potencijal za rast. IUGR je ozbiljan klinički problem i nedavno je povezan sa bolestima odraslog doba kao &scaron;to su hipertenzija, insulin nezavistan diabetes melitus, dislipidemije i ishemijske bolesti srca. Eritropoetin je glavni regulator proliferacije i diferencijacije eritroidnih progenitorskih ćelija zahvaljujući svojoj antiapoptotičkoj aktivnosti. Cilj istraživanja je bio da se ispita uticaj IUGR na bubrege, kao i uticaj eritropotina na bubrege sa IUGR. Eksperimentalna studija je sprovedena u gajili&scaron;tu Pasterovog zavoda u Novom Sadu na 60 mi&scaron;eva rase NMRI. IUGR je izazivana aplikacijom deksametazona gravidnim ženkama. Po rođenju su mladunci bili podeljeni u sedam grupa. Mladuncima je u 1. i 7. danu života davan darbepoetin alfa (DA) u dozama od 1, 4 i 10&mu;g/kg. Dve grupe su predstavljale potomke majki koje su tokom trudnoće dobile DA. Nakon 4 nedelje su uzimani uzorci bubrega i vr&scaron;ena je morfolo&scaron;ka i stereolo&scaron;ka analiza glomerula. Aplikacija deksametazona (100 &mu;g/kg) trudnim mi&scaron;icama dovodi do potomstva sa IUGR. Primena DA kod novorođenih mi&scaron;eva sa IUGR dovodi do bržeg porasta telesne mase u prvih 7 dana života (&bdquo;catch-up― rasta). Mi&scaron;evi rođeni sa IUGR imaju manju povr&scaron;inu glomerula bubrega. Primena DA nakon rođenja i u 7. danu života (4 i 10 &mu;g/kg) kod novorođenih mi&scaron;eva sa IUGR dovodi do hipertrofije glomerula bubrega. IUGR nema uticaja na broj glomerula bubrega mi&scaron;eva. Primena DA nema uticaja na broj glomerula bubrega mi&scaron;eva. Mi&scaron;evi rođeni sa IUGR imaju manju debljinu korteksa bubrega. Primena DA (4 i 10 &mu;g/kg) kod mi&scaron;eva rođenih sa IUGR dovodi do povećanja debljine korteksa bubrega. Davanje DA kod IUGR značajno povećava povr&scaron;inu glomerula i debljinu korteksa bubrega.</p> / <p>Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) refers to a condition in which a foetus is not able to achieve its genetic potential for growth. IUGR is a serious clinical problem, and has recently been linked with diseases of adulthood, such as hypertension, insulin-independent diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and ischemic heart disease. Erythropoietin is the major regulator of proliferation and differentiation of erythroid progenitor cells, thanks to its anti-apoptotic activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of IUGR on the kidneys, and the impact of erythropoietin on the kidneys with IUGR. The experimental study was conducted in Pasteur Institute of Novi Sad on 60 mice of NMRI race. IUGR has been imposed with the application of dexamethasone to pregnant females. After birth, the pups were divided into seven groups. DA was administered to the pups on the 1st and 7th day of life (dose 1, 4 and 10 &mu;g/kg). Two groups represented the offspring of the mothers who during pregnancy received DA. After 4 weeks, kidney samples were taken and morphological and stereological analysis of the glomeruli was performed. The application of dexamethasone (100 &mu;g/kg) to pregnant mice leads to their offspring with IUGR. Application of DA to newborn mice with IUGR leads to faster weight gain in the first 7 days of life (&quot;catch-up&quot; growth). Mice born with IUGR have a reduced glomerular surface. Application of DA after birth and on the 7th day of life (4 and 10 &mu;g/kg) in mice with IUGR leads to hypertrophy of the kidney glomeruli. IUGR has no effect on the number of kidney glomeruli. Application of DA has no effect on the number of kidney glomeruli. Mice born with IUGR have a reduced cortical thickness. Application of DA (4 and 10 &mu;g/kg) in mice born with IUGR leads to increased thickness of the kidney cortex. Application of DA to mice with IUGR significantly increases the surface area of the kidney glomeruli and cortical thickness.</p>

Background: Haematotoxicity of conventional chemotherapies often results in delays of treatment or reduction of chemotherapy dose. To ameliorate these side-effects, patients are routinely treated with blood transfusions or haematopoietic growth factors such as erythropoietin (EPO) or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). For the latter ones, pharmaceutical derivatives are available, which differ in absorption kinetics, pharmacokinetic and -dynamic properties. Due to the complex interaction of cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy and the stimulating effects of different growth factor derivatives, optimal treatment is a non-trivial task. In the past, we developed mathematical models of thrombopoiesis, granulopoiesis and erythropoiesis under chemotherapy and growth-factor applications which can be used to perform clinically relevant predictions regarding the feasibility of chemotherapy schedules and cytopenia prophylaxis with haematopoietic growth factors. However, interactions of lineages and growth-factors were ignored so far. Results: To close this gap, we constructed a hybrid model of human granulopoiesis and erythropoiesis under conventional chemotherapy, G-CSF and EPO applications. This was achieved by combining our single lineage models of human erythropoiesis and granulopoiesis with a common stem cell model. G-CSF effects on erythropoiesis were also implemented. Pharmacodynamic models are based on ordinary differential equations describing proliferation and maturation of haematopoietic cells. The system is regulated by feedback loops partly mediated by endogenous and exogenous EPO and G-CSF. Chemotherapy is modelled by depletion of cells. Unknown model parameters were determined by fitting the model predictions to time series data of blood counts and cytokine profiles. Data were extracted from literature or received from cooperating clinical study groups. Our model explains dynamics of mature blood cells and cytokines after growth-factor applications in healthy volunteers. Moreover, we modelled 15 different chemotherapeutic drugs by estimating their bone marrow toxicity. Taking into account different growth-factor schedules, this adds up to 33 different chemotherapy regimens explained by the model. Conclusions: We conclude that we established a comprehensive biomathematical model to explain the dynamics of granulopoiesis and erythropoiesis under combined chemotherapy, G-CSF, and EPO applications. We demonstrate how it can be used to make predictions regarding haematotoxicity of yet untested chemotherapy and growth-factor schedules.:Background; Methods; Results; Model predictions; Discussion; Conclusions