Evaluation of JAK2V617F Mutation Prevalence in Myeloproliferative Neoplasm by AS-RT-PCR

Background and Aim: The JAK2 is an acquired mutation that is observed in majority of patients with classical Philadelphia-negative Myeloproliferative neoplasms that include polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), primary myelofibrosis (PMF). This acquired mutation is characterized by a G to T transversion at nucleotide 1849 in exon 12 of the JAK2 gene, leading to a substitution of valine to phenylalanine at amino acid position 617(V617F) of the JAK2 protein, and result in constitutive JAK2 activation that promotes hypersensitivity to growth factors and cytokines.Materials and Methods: In this study we evaluated RNA from 58 patients with MPNs and statistical analysis was done with mann whitney test. The mutation detected by AS-PCR. In addition, 3 samples were sequenced in Mille gen company.Results: 46 patients:86.6%(26/30) of those with polycythemia vera, 53.3% (8/15) of those with essential thrombocythemia,61.5% (8/13) of those with idiopathic myelofibrosis polycythemia vera patient carrying the mutation displayed higher levels of WBC (p=0.03). on the other hand,16 out of 26 JAK2V617F positive patients were female there is a demonstrate correlation between the presence of a mutant allele and female gender. The difference in other groups were not significant.Discussion and Conclusion: The JAK2V617F mutation has been detected in the vast majority of patients with polycythmia vera (65-95%) and in a lower frequency in patients with essential thrombocythemia (23-57%), idiopathic myelofibrosis (23-57%) and chronic myeloid leukemia 19% (3/16 CML Ph-).Detection of the mutation is helpful in differential diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of therapeutic response