Hematopoiesis/erythropoiesis in myocardial infarcts

Extramedullary hematopoiesis occurring in the myocardium has previously only been reported in a single case of a neonate with cyanotic congenital heart disease. Herein we report the incidental discovery of extramedullary hematopoiesis or pure erythropoiesis in four failing adult hearts with myocardial infarction. In two cases, extramedullary hematopoiesis or erythropoiesis was identified in cardiectomy specimens removed at orthotopic heart transplantation; in two other cases, erythropoiesis was found in left ventricular tissue removed at the time of implantation of left ventricular assist devices. Myocardial hematopoiesis/erythropoiesis was identified based on characteristic light-microscopic findings in routinely processed tissue and was confirmed by immunhistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies to the erythroid cell marker glycophorin A (positive in all cases), the megakaryocyte marker CD61, and the granulocyte marker neutrophil elastase (the latter two markers positive in one case only). None of the four patients had a myeloproliferative disorder or evidence of a myelophthisic process. No hematopoietic elements were identified in 109 cardiectomy specimens without acute or recent infarcts. Myocardial hematopoiesis or erythropoiesis could represent heretofore-unrecognized manifestations of altered cytokine expression in patients with heart failure due to myocardial infarction.