Quantification of PRV-1 mRNA distinguishes polycythemia vera from secondary erythrocytosis.

To date, the diagnosis of polycythemia vera (PV) relies on clinical criteria. We have recently described the overexpression of a hematopoietic receptor, polycythemia rubra vera-1 (PRV-1), in patients with PV. Here, we report a quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for the measurement of PRV-1 mRNA levels.