Platelet autoantibodies in the bone marrow of patients with immune thrombocytopenia

Autoantibodies cause platelet destruction in patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP); yet only 50% to 60% of patients have detectable platelet autoantibodies in peripheral blood. We hypothesized that in some ITP patients, platelet autoantibodies are sequestered in the bone marrow where pathological immune reactions target megakaryocytes or newly formed platelets. In this study, we modified the platelet glycoprotein-specific assay to test bone marrow aspiration samples for free platelet autoantibodies or antibodies bound to bone marrow cells in aspirate fluid from patients with ITP (n = 18), patients with nonimmune thrombocytopenia (n = 3), and healthy donors (n = 6). We found that 10 (56%) of 18 patients with ITP had autoantibodies in the bone marrow, including 5 (50%) of 10 with autoantibodies in bone marrow only, and 5 (50%) of 10 with autoantibodies in bone marrow and peripheral blood. In comparison, 6 (33%) of 18 ITP patients had autoantibodies in peripheral blood, most of whom (5 [83%] of 6) also had autoantibodies in bone marrow. Bone marrow autoantibodies were not detected in patients with nonimmune thrombocytopenia or healthy donors; however, peripheral blood autoantibodies were detectable in 1 (33%) of 3 patients with nonimmune thrombocytopenia. The sensitivity of platelet autoantibodies for the diagnosis of ITP increased from 60% (peripheral blood testing) to 72% (peripheral blood and bone marrow testing). Immune reactions limited to the bone marrow may be characteristic of certain subsets of ITP patients.