Osteosclerosis in idiopathic myelofibrosis is related to the overproduction of osteoprotegerin (OPG).

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanism of osteosclerosis in IMF in relation to OPG derangement.

Methods: Plasma OPG level was assayed by OPG ELISA in 19 patients with IMF, 15 patients with other myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs), and 12 normal volunteers as controls and correlated with the degree of osteosclerosis. Furthermore, the level of OPG mRNA, in the cultured bone marrow stromal (BMS) cells of patients with IMF and anemia patients used as controls, in the presence or absence of TGF-beta1, was studied by real-time RT-PCR.