Detection of the JAK2 V617F Mutation by Real Time PCR in Granulocytes and Platelets of ET Patients.

Introduction. The JAK2 V617F mutation has been detected in 23%–57% of ET patients by direct sequencing or allele-specific (AS) PCR. It remains unknown, however, if the mutation detected in the granulocyte population, may be equally detected in platelets from these patients.

Objective. To compare the detection of the JAK2V617F mutation in granulocytes and platelets from ET patients by real time AS RT-PCR.

Patients and methods. Platelets and granulocytes from 50 ET patients from a single institution were studied. Patients were diagnosed according to the WHO criteria. At the time when JAK2 mutation was analyzed 16/50 patients were receiving platelet-lowering therapy ± ASA, 14/50 patients only received ASA and 20/50 received no specific treatment. JAK2 mutation was analyzed by real-time AS RT-PCR with probes specific for the mutated and the wild type form.

Results. The V617F JAK2 mutation was detected in 18 out of 50 patients in both granulocytes and platelets by real time AS RT-PCR, and was negative in both cell populations in the remaining 32 patients. In the V617F JAK2 positive cases, the mean Ct(V617FJAK2)/Ct(wild type JAK2) ratio was 1.074±0.062 for granulocytes and 1.038±0.039 for platelets (p=0.048). These values corresponded to a 17.79 ±7.4% of mutated population when granulocytes were analyzed, whereas, a significantly higher percentage of mutated population was observed, 23.45±7.78 %, when platelets were analyzed (p=0.032).

Conclusions. The results of V617FJAK2 mutation detection by AS RT-PCR were the same in granulocytes and platelets (either positive or negative). The percentage of clonal population detected in ET patients was significantly higher in platelets than in granulocytes.