Erythropoiesis in familial erythrocytosis.

We found primary erythrocytosis in two male siblings with hematologically normal parents. To clarify the abnormalities in erythropoiesis, we studied erythropoietin production in the older sibling as well as in vivo and in vitro responses of bone marrow to various stimuli. His erythropoietin excretion after a 1000-ml phlebotomy increased by 0 to 11 units per day. In liquid-suspension culture, erythropoiesis was prominently augmented by erythropoietin and unstimulated erythropoiesis was greater and more prolonged than normal. Numbers of erythroid colonies rose in methylcellulose culture without exogenous erythropoietin, and cloning increased with added erythropoietin. Anti-erythropoietin antibody substantially decreased erythropoiesis in vitro. Increased bone-marrow erythropoiesis was also demonstrated in murine diffusion chambers. The principal abnormality in this familial erythrocytosis appears to be a greatly expanded erythropoietic precursor pool that is responsive to erythropoietin in vitro and in vivo. This abnormality is analogous to the functional erythropoietic defect in typical polycythemia vera.