Incidence of the JAK2V617F Mutation In Mexican Patients with Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPNs)

The V617F mutation in JAK2 gene has been described in approximately 50–90% of patients with ET, MF AND PV [essential trombocythaemia, idiopathic myelofibrosis and policithemia vera]; but has also been reported, albeit at a lower frequency, in patients with other myeloid malignancies such as atypical CML, CMML, AML, MDS, JMML and CNL. A single G>T base substitution in exon 12 results in the conversion of valine to a phenylalanine aminoacid at position 617 of the JAK2 gene. The identification in this study were using techniques such as allele-specific PCR, RFLP-PCR and direct sequencing; for to determine the incidence in Mexican patients with MPNs.

The JAK2V617F mutation was determined in 88 patients and 5 normal blood samples for healthy individuals as controls. About the patients, 60 were cataloged like MPNs and 28 patients with features suggestive of MPNs vs CML. Samples for bone marrow or peripherical blood were taken either at time of diagnosis of MPNs or during treatment with cytoreductive or anti-thrombotic agents. DNA and RNA were extracted using the QIAamp DNA and RNeasy mini kit (Qiagen) and amplified by the three techniques mentioned for JAK2V617F and by nested RT-PCR for BCR/ABL.

The five normal blood samples for controls were negative for JAK2V617F mutation and to BCR/ABL. Patients had median age 65 years (47–85 years old), 46% male and 54% female. In de overall patients: 60 patients with MPNs all were BCR/ABL negative and 20 (33%) had JAK2V617F. In the 28 patients with likely MPNs vs CML, 23 were BCR/ABL positive/JAK2 negative, two had the coexistence of both genetics defects [BCR/ABL+ and JAK2V617F+] and 3 BCR/ABL and JAK2 negative. Finally the patiens with JAK2V617F+, were 12 ET, PV 1, MF 2, CML 2, and 5 continued like MPNs.

The incidence of the JAK2V617F in this study for MPNs patiens were 33% and the incidence varied between MPNs subtype. Less than ten cases of BCR/ABL+ CML with JAK2V617F have been published; we report two patients with the coexistence and we agree with previous reports that screening for JAK2V617F mutation should be considered in any BCR/ABL+ CML patients and the clinical outcome will be define in long period.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.