Erythropoiesis is regulated by the glycoprotein hormone erythropoietin (Epo) and by several other factors including interleukin 3 (IL-3) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. The possibility that IL-3 and GM-CSF may act by modulating Epo receptor expression was investigated using erythroblasts purified from the spleens of phenylhydrazine-treated mice. AT 37 degrees C, in the presence of sodium azide to inhibit receptor internalization. 125I-labeled human recombinant Epo bound to a single class of high-affinity receptors on splenic erythroblasts (450 sites/cell, Kd= 700 pM). Autoradiographic studies indicated that 94% of specifically bound Epo was associated with erythroblasts, decreased Epo binding being observed with increasing erythroid cell maturation. Whereas recombinant mouse IL-3 and GM-CSF did not compete with 125I-Epo for binding to the Epo receptor, preincubation of cells with IL-3 resulted in a concentration-dependent loss of 125I-Epo binding without altering the affinity of residual receptors for Epo. Complete loss of Epo receptors was effected within 2 h at IL-3 concentrations above 2500 U/ml. Preincubation with recombinant mouse GM-CSF had no effect on binding, even at 100,000 U/ml. In comparison, preincubation of cells with Epo (50 U/ml) caused complete loss of 125I-Epo binding within 30-60 min, an effect not explained by receptor saturation with unlabeled Epo. Thus, in addition to trans-down-modulating growth factor receptors of the granulocyte-macrophage series, IL-3 also trans-down-modulates a growth factor receptor of the erythroid lineage.