We have evaluated the therapeutic activity of rIL-3, in comparison with recombinant granulocyte-macrophage CSF (rGM-CSF) and recombinant erythropoietin (rEpo), on a lethal form of acute anemia induced by a single injection of a monoclonal IgG1 anti-mouse RBC (MRBC) autoantibody. Continuous perfusion of rIL-3 before the administration of anti-MRBC mAb prevented animals from the death due to anemia with a rapid recovery in greater than 90% of the cases, while only partial protection (one third of the cases) was obtained by rEpo perfusion, and no protection by rGM-CSF. Since the anti-MRBC mAb induced a marked agglutination of RBC in spleens and livers, and subsequent hemodynamic failure may be an additional contributing factor to the animals' death, the activation of Fc gamma receptor-dependent phagocytosis by rIL-3, as well as the increased number of monocytes/macrophages resulting from rIL-3 perfusion, may also facilitate rapid elimination of these agglutinated RBC, resulting in the further amelioration of the animals' survival. Our results suggest that the therapeutic effect of rIL-3 on anti-MRBC autoantibody-induced anemia is achieved by: (a) its activity to promote the growth and differentiation of erythroid progenitors responsive to Epo and of monocyte/macrophage lineage; and (b) its activity to enhance the phagocytic activity of macrophages to efficiently eliminate agglutinated RBC in spleens and livers.