The analysis of JAK2 and MPL mutations and JAK2 single nucleotide polymorphisms in MPN patients by MassARRAY assay.

Recent studies have shown that JAK2 V617F, MPL W515L/K and JAK2 exon 12 mutations underlie the major molecular pathogenesis of myeloproliferative disorders (MPN). Allele-Specific Polymerase Chain Reaction (AS-PCR), direct sequencing and MassARRAY assay were used to ascertain the real prevalence of these mutations and the influence of genetic susceptibility in Chinese MPN patients. The positive rate of JAK2 V617F in polycythaemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythaemia (ET) and primary myelofibrosis (PMF) was 82.0%, 36.6% and 51.1% respectively. One ET patient and two PMF patients harboured the MPL W515L mutation and three PV patients harboured JAK2 exon 12 mutations. All of these patients were confirmed as JAK2 V617F negative. Clinical data demonstrated that PV patients with JAK2 exon 12 mutations were younger, had higher haemoglobin levels and white blood cell counts than PV patients with JAK2 V617F. In addition, through analysis of 4 polymorphic loci of JAK2 gene, no significant difference of distribution frequency was found among PV, ET and PMF patients. Distribution frequency of haplotype also was not significantly different among PV, ET and PMF patients. We conclude that JAK2 V617F is a major molecular pathogenesis in Chinese MPN patients. MPL W515L mutation and JAK2 exon 12 mutations can also be found in JAK2 V617F negative MPN patients.