Bone marrow histochemical studies of fibrogenic cytokines and their receptors in myelodysplastic syndrome with myelofibrosis and related disorders.

Cellular and extracellular alterations of various fibrogenic cytokines have been described in a number of different chronic myeloid disorders that are associated with myelofibrosis. However, the available information related to both myelodysplastic syndrome with myelofibrosis (MDS-f) and bone marrow histochemical analysis is limited. In the current study, bone marrow immunohistochemical staining for platelet-derived growth factor, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and their receptors was performed in 9 patients with MDS-f, 9 patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET), 8 patients with 5q- syndrome, and 5 healthy control subjects. In addition, TGF-beta1 messenger RNA (mRNA) analysis was performed in 5 patients, each with MDS-f, myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (MMM), polycythemia vera (PV), ET, and immune thrombocytopenic purpura, and in healthy control subjects. In general, protein and transcript expression patterns were similar to normal patterns and not significantly different among the various disease groups. The only exception was a reduced concentration of bFGF-expressing stromal cells in patients with PV, ET, and MMM.