A fluorescent dye which recognizes mature peripheral erythrocytes of myeloproliferative disorders.

Based on the previous finding that erythrocytes from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia stain with the fluorescent dye merocyanine 540, erythrocytes from patients with other myeloproliferative disorders were examined for their ability to bind the membrane probe. As assessed by both fluorescence staining and a quantitative dye removal assay, all samples of erythrocytes from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia, polycythemia vera, myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia and essential thrombocythemia bound more dye than did erythrocytes from normal, healthy individuals. Erythrocytes from three of six patients with acute myelogenous leukemia also showed increased affinity for the dye. In contrast, erythrocytes from three patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia and one with unclassifiable leukemia bound only normal amounts of dye. The procedures described may be useful as a supplemental aid to diagnosis of myeloproliferative disorders or for investigation of hematological diseases where multilineage involvement is suspected.