Objective: To investigate the influence of chemotherapeutic agents and eytokines on growth of bone marrow cells from MT/p210 ^bcr-ab1 transgenic mice.

Methods: The bone marrow cells of transgenic chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) model mice carrying metallothionein (MT) promnter/enhancer, bcr-abl (p210) cDNA and SV40 splicing/poly (A) signal sequences were cultured In liquid and soft agar with hydroxyurea (HuL 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu), mouse stem cell factor (mSCF) and mouse interleukin-3 (mIL-3) independently or collectively. The cells and colonies were counted. The levels of transgene expression were detected by reverse transeriplase-polymerase chain reaction (RT.PCR).

Results: The cell proliferation, colony formation and transgene expression of the bone marrow cells were stimulated with mSCF and raiL-3, but there was little growth without any growth factors, or when mSCF, raiL-3 and Hu or 5-Fu were added.

Conclusion: The combined utilization of cheumtherapeutants and cytokines is a potentially effective strategy of clinical treatment far CML.