Abstract
Recent studies have shown decreased megakaryocyte expression of the thrombopoietin receptor (c-mpl) in patients with polycythemia vera (PV) but not in those with reactive erythrocytosis. We examined the diagnostic utility of this observation in 22 patients with PV, 7 patients with secondary erythrocytosis (SE), and 10 normal controls. Commercial antibodies against c- mpl were used with standard immunoperoxidase methods. Megakaryocyte c-mpl staining intensity was uniformly moderate-to-strong in the healthy controls and in all the patients with SE. In contrast, staining intensity in 9 patients with PV (41%) was uniformly weak. Furthermore, in 12 of the remaining 13 patients with PV, the c-mpl staining pattern in each case was heterogeneous and was associated with weak staining intensity in more than 20% of the megakaryocyte population. These preliminary data suggest that c- mpl immunostains may complement bone marrow histopathology in distinguishing PV from non-clonal causes of erythrocytosis. (C) 2000 by The American Society of Hematology.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 771-772 |
Number of pages | 2 |
Journal | Blood |
Volume | 96 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2000 Jul 15 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Immunology
- Hematology
- Cell Biology