JAK2V617F allele burden discriminates essential thrombocythemia from a subset of prefibrotic-stage primary myelofibrosis

Abstract Polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET) are myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) characterized by the presence of JAK2V617F mutation in >95% and 60% of patients (pts), respectively. This mutation usually affects one allele in ET while most PV pts are homozygous due to mitotic recombination. Acquisition of the JAK2V617F mutation is strongly associated with the germline 46/1 predisposition haplotype. Ruxolitinib is a JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor recently approved for myelofibrosis (MF) and under investigation in PV and ET pts intolerant or resistant to hydroxyurea. We enrolled 24 pts, 11 with PV and 13 with ET, in the phase II INCB18424-256 trial that overall included 34 PV and 39 ET pts. 21/24 pts were still on treatment at 5 years (yr), of which 19 JAK2V617F mutated. Results of the PV cohort have been reported recently (Verstovsek et al. Cancer, 2014): with a median follow up of 35 months (mo), the JAK2V617F allele burden decreased by a mean of 8%, 14%, and 22%, respectively, after 12, 24 and 36 mo. The proportion of pts who achieved a reduction ≥50 % at any time during the 1st yr, 2nd yr, and 3rd yr were 5.9%, 14.7%, and 23.5%, respectively, but no patients achieved a complete remission. In our series of pts we evaluated the JAK2V617F allele burden by two RTQ-PCR methods, according to Lippert (sensitivity, 0.8%) and to Larsen (sensitivity, 0.08%) method. We also analysed by next generation sequencing (NGS; Ion Torrent platform) a series of MPN-associated mutations including TET2, ASXL1, IDH1/2, LNK, CBL, SRSF2, EZH2 and MPL at baseline and at 5 yr of treatment in ruxolitinib treated pts who achieved a >25% JAK2V617F allele burden reduction at 5 yr (n=13/19). JAK2V617F allele burden decreased by a mean of 7%, 11%, and 19% at 12, 24 and 36 mo, and decreased further by a mean of 28% after 60 mo. Three (1 PV, 2 ET) of 19 pts (16%) achieved a 50% or greater allele burden reduction after 2 yr; no additional pts achieved this degree of allele burden reduction even in prolonged follow up. These 3 pts further improved their molecular response to a complete molecular response (CMR) after 5 yr of treatment. Their mean JAK2V617F allele burden was 46.6% at baseline, 28.3%, 16.3%, 8.7% and 0% after 1 yr, 2 yr, 3 yr and 5 yr, respectively. The JAK2 CMR was confirmed in at least one independent sample at 3 mo after first discovery. At this last timepoint, the PV pt was in complete haematological remission according to ELN criteria, the 2 ET pts were in partial remission due to platelet count still >400x109/L: 422x109/L and 812x109/L, respectively. BM histopathology in the 2 ET pts at 5 yr, while they were in CMR, showed still evidence of megakaryocyte hyperplasia. In the PV pt, histopathology at 5 yr is pending; evaluation at 3 yr, a time when she was in complete hematologic remission and JAK allele burden had decreased from 69 to 8%, showed normalization of cellularity, megakaryocyte and myeloid lineage compared to baseline but still slight erythroid hyperplasia. All 3 pts had normal karyotype at baseline that remained unchanged thereafter. CMR for JAK2V617F was confirmed by NGS. The 2 ET pts achieving CMR did not show any additional mutations, while the PV pts presented a TET2 Y867H mutation with an allele burden of 48.9% and 52%, respectively at baseline and 5 yr. No recurrent mutations in genes other than JAK2 were found in all other examined cases at baseline or at 5 yr. In 3 informative pts, we also analysed the proportion of JAK2V617F homozygous, heterozygous and wild type clones by the method of Hasan et al (Leukemia 2013) based on allelic discrimination of 46/1 haplotype and JAK2. We found that JAK2V617F/V617F clones were reduced by a mean of 95.5%, JAK2V617F/WT showed an uneven trend with a mean reduction of 45.54% while JAK2WT/WT conversely increased (mean 61.43%) at 5 yr, suggesting that in a subset a patients who present significant reduction of VF allele burden ruxolitinib may preferentially target the homozygous clones. Until now, complete molecular remission in PV pts has been described only in patients treated with interferon. Our data suggest that a subset of pts who present a rapid and sustained reduction of the JAK2V617F allele burden under ruxolitinib may eventually reach a condition of CMR with prolonged treatment. However, similar to findings with interferon, mutations establishing clonality, such as in TET2, may still persist in patients who eventually show the disappearance of JAK2V617F mutated subclones. Disclosures Verstovsek: Incyte: Research Funding. Vannucchi:Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding.

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Sequential Analysis By Next Generation Sequencing of 18 Genes in Polycythemia Vera and Essential Thrombocythemia Reveals a Association Between Mutational Status and Clinical Outcome after 3-Year Follow-up

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v126.23.2808.2808 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 126 (23) ◽

pp. 2808-2808

Author(s):

Damien Luque Paz ◽

Aurelie Chauveau ◽

Caroline Buors ◽

Jean-Christophe Ianotto ◽

Francoise Boyer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polycythemia Vera ◽

Essential Thrombocythemia ◽

Jak2 V617f ◽

Primary Myelofibrosis ◽

Jak2 V617f Mutation ◽

Poor Prognostic Factor ◽

Disease Evolution ◽

Allele Burden ◽

V617f Mutation

Abstract Introduction Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are molecularly characterized by driver mutations of JAK2, MPL or CALR. Other somatic mutations may occur in epigenetic modifiers or oncogenes. Some of them have been shown to confer a poor prognosis in primary myelofibrosis, but their impact is less known in Polycythemia Vera (PV) and Essential Thrombocythemia (ET). In this study, we investigated the mutational profile using NGS technology in 50 JAK2 V617F positive cases of MPN (27 PV and 23 ET) collected at the time of diagnosis and after a 3 year follow-up (3y). Patients and Methods All patients were JAK2 V617F positive and already included in the prospective cohort JAKSUIVI. All exons of JAK2, MPL, LNK, CBL, NRAS, NF1, TET2, ASXL1, IDH1 and 2, DNMT3A, SUZ12, EZH2, SF3B1, SRSF2, TP53, IKZF1 and SETBP1 were covered by an AmpliseqTM custom design and sequenced on a PGM instrument (Life Technologies). CALR exon 9 mutations were screened using fragment analysis. Hotspots that mutated recurrently in MPN with no sequencing NGS coverage were screened by Sanger sequencing and HRM. A somatic validation was performed for some mutations using DNA derived from the nails. The increase of a mutation between diagnosis and follow-up has been defined as a relative increase of twenty percent of the allele burden. An aggravation of the disease at 3y was defined by the presence of at least one of the following criteria: leukocytosis >12G/L or immature granulocytes >2% or erythroblasts >1%; anemia or thrombocytopenia not related to treatment toxicity; development or progressive splenomegaly; thrombocytosis on cytoreductive therapy; inadequate control of the patient's condition using the treatment (defined by at least one treatment change for reasons other than an adverse event). Results As expected, the JAK2 V617F mutation was found in all patients with the use of NGS. In addition, we found 27 other mutations in 10 genes out of the 18 genes studied by NGS (mean 0.54 mutations per patient). Overall, 29 of 50 patients had only the JAK2 V617F mutation and no other mutation in any of the genes analysed. No CALR mutation was detected. Nine mutations that were not previously described in myeloid malignancies were found. The genes involved in the epigenetic regulation were those most frequently mutated: TET2, ASXL1, IDH1, IDH2 and DNMT3A. In particular, TET2 mutations were the most frequent and occurred in 20% of cases. There was no difference in the number or in the presence of mutations between PV and ET. At 3y, 4 mutations appeared in 4 patients and 15 out of 50 patients (9 PV and 6 ET) were affected by an allele burden increase of at least one mutation. At 3y, 24/50 patients suffered an aggravation of the disease as defined by the primary outcome criterion (16 PV and 8 ET). The presence of a mutation (JAK2 V617Fomitted) at the time of the diagnosis was significantly associated with the aggravation of the disease (p=0.025). Retaining only mutations with an allele burden greater than 20%, the association with disease aggravation is more significant (p=0.011). Moreover, a mutation of ASXL1, IDH1/2 or SRSF2, which is a poor prognostic factor in primary myelofibrosis, was found in 8 patients, all having presented an aggravation of their disease (p=0.001). Only 4 patients had more than one somatic mutation other than JAK2 V617F and all of them also had an aggravation at 3y (p=0.046). In this cohort, appearance of a mutation at 3y was not associated with the course of the disease. Conversely, the increase of allele burden of at least one mutation was associated with an aggravation (p=0.019). Discussion and conclusion Despite the short follow-up and the limited number of patients, this study suggests that the presence of additional mutations at the time of the diagnosis in PV and TE is correlated to a poorer disease evolution. The increase of mutation allele burden, which reflects clonal evolution, also seems to be associated with the course of the disease. These results argue for a clinical interest in large mutation screening by NGS at the time of the diagnosis and during follow-up in ET and PV. Disclosures Ugo: Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: ASH travel.

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A Heterogeneous Response Pattern to Interferon-alpha2 with Induction of a Significant Decrease in the Calreticulin Mutant Allele Burden in a Subset of Patients with Essential Thrombocythemia and Primary Myelofibrosis

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v126.23.4057.4057 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 126 (23) ◽

pp. 4057-4057

Author(s):

Sabrina Cordua ◽

Lasse Kjaer ◽

Morten Orebo Holmström ◽

Niels Pallisgaard ◽

Vibe Skov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Essential Thrombocythemia ◽

Mutant Allele ◽

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms ◽

Primary Myelofibrosis ◽

Allele Burden ◽

Travel Grant ◽

Ifn Treatment

Abstract Introduction The discovery of mutations in the calreticulin (CALR) gene in the majority of JAK2 -V617F negative patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) and primary myelofibrosis (PMF) (Klampfl et al., 2013; Nangalia et al., 2013) has improved the diagnostic accuracy considerably, and most recently distinct clinical and hematological characteristics according to mutational status have been described (Park et al., 2015). The perspective is to personalize and optimize treatment according to the molecular and clinical landscape. This may be achieved by obtaining more information on responses in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) to existing treatment strategies as assessed by the allele burden. Mutations in the CALR gene have proven to play a major role in oncogenic and immunologic processes (Lu, Weng, & Lee, 2015). In this context, it is highly relevant to explore the effectiveness of interferon-alpha2 (IFN) in reducing the CALR -mutated clone. Until now, only one paper has reported a decrease in allele burden in two patients during IFN treatment (Cassinat, Verger, & Kiladijan, 2014). The objective of this report is to expand current knowledge on this important topic by describing the mutant CALR allele burden over time in a larger group of IFN-treated patients. Method Clinical data were collected retrospectively from a single institution on all IFN-treated CALR positive MPN patients with sequential determinations of the mutant allele burden. Type 1 and type 2 mutations were initially identified by a previously published fragment analysis (Klampfl et al 2013). We have developed a Taqman qPCR assay for precise determination of the mutant allele burden of type 1 and type 2 mutations. Stored DNA was subsequently analysed to increase follow-up time. Results Twenty-one patients were included. Fifteen patients had a diagnosis of PMF; 7 of these were diagnosed with prefibrotic myelofibrosis. Six patients had ET. The type 1 and 2 mutations were found in 15 and 6 patients, respectively. Median age was 60 years (range 42-79) and the sex ratio (M/F) was 8/13. Fifteen patients (71%) were in ongoing treatment with IFN, whereas treatment was discontinued in 6 (29%) because of side effects. Median time of IFN treatment was 756 days (range 42-3927). The IFN prescribed was either subcutaneous injection of Pegasys® (median: 45 microgram (ug) per week), PegIntron® 25-50 ug per week, or Multiferon® 3 x 3 million IU per week. Median follow up time since the first CALR measurement was 756 days (range 294-2108). Fourteen patients (67%) maintained an unchanged allele burden during follow up; 1 patient (5%) presented a temporary decrease (from 39% to 27% in allele burden) but increased to the initial level within months while still on IFN treatment (presumably due to low compliance); 1 patient (5%) displayed an increase in allele burden during transformation to acute myelogenous leukemia (Figure 1); and 5 patients (24%) exhibited a marked decrease in allele burden (median decrease: 32%, range 18-45) during treatment with IFN (Figure 2). All 5 patients with decreasing allele burden (Table 1) normalized their platelet counts within a median time of 5 weeks (range 4-20) after initiating treatment with IFN. Conclusion Using a novel sensitive assay for the CALR mutant allele burden, we have demonstrated and substantiated the effectiveness of IFN to reduce the allele burden in a larger series of CALR positive patients with PMF and ET. Importantly, we report for the first time on highly heterogeneous response patterns. Our observation of one fourth of the CALR positive patients responding to treatment with IFN strongly suggests that IFN significantly influences the CALR mutational load. Further clinical and molecular studies are urgently needed to explore the mechanisms behind the heterogeneous response patterns and the clinical implications in regard to clonal evolution and disease progression in non-responding patients. We are currently analysing these issues to assess the definite role of IFN in future treatment strategies in CALR positive MPN patients. Table 1. Patients responding to interferon-alpha2 Characteristics Number/median (range) Patients 5 Age, years 53 (42-62) Sex (M/F) 1/4 Diagnosis- Essential thrombocythemia- Primary myelofibrosis- Prefibrotic myelofibrosis 221 Calreticulin mutation type- type 1- type 2 50 Duration of interferon-alpha2 treatment, days 960 (177-2790) Figure 1. Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 2. Disclosures Cordua: Janssen-Cilag: Other: travel grant. Off Label Use: interferon alpha2 for myeloproliferative neoplasms. Holmström:La Roche Ltd: Other: travel grant. Pallisgaard:Qiagen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: travel grant, Speakers Bureau; Bristol Meyer Squibb: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Other: travel grant, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Roche: Other: travel grant. Hasselbalch:Novartis: Research Funding.

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Thrombotic Events in Primary Myelofibrosis: Prevalence and Prognostic Factors in 207 Consecutive Patients.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v114.22.3915.3915 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 114 (22) ◽

pp. 3915-3915

Author(s):

Michelle Elliott ◽

Terra Lasho ◽

Christy Finke ◽

Animesh D. Pardanani ◽

Ayalew Tefferi

Keyword(s):

Platelet Count ◽

Prognostic Factors ◽

Mutant Allele ◽

Primary Myelofibrosis ◽

Hemoglobin Level ◽

Snp Genotyping ◽

Taqman Assay ◽

Allele Burden ◽

Vein Thrombosis ◽

Jak2v617f Allele Burden

Abstract Abstract 3915 Poster Board III-851 Background Thromboembolic disease (TE) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET). There is limited information on the prevalence of TE in primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and associated prognostic factors. Methods Study patients were recruited form the Mayo Clinic database for PMF. Diagnosis was according to the 2001 WHO criteria. Clinical and laboratory information was collected at time of diagnosis and correlated with the occurrence of TE in general and arterial (AT) or venous (VT) thrombosis in particular. Leukocytosis was defined as a leukocyte count of > 10 × 109/L. Qualitative JAK2V617F analysis was done according to previously published PCR-based methods. In addition, a subset of the study patients underwent quantitative PCR for JAK2V617F and rs12343867 SNP genotyping (performed by a commercially available Taqman assay). All molecular studies were performed on stored bone marrow. Standard statistical methods were used to test significance of associations between thrombosis and other variables. Results 207 patients with PMF were studied (median age 62, range 28-87; 132 males). At presentation, the median (range) of hemoglobin (Hb), leukocytes (WBC) and platelets (plt) were 11 g/dl (6.4-15.4), 8.6 × 109/L (0.8-156.7) and 273 × 109/L (13-1916), respectively. Dupriez prognostic scores at diagnosis were low, intermediate and high in 57%, 33% and 10% of the patients, respectively. 130 (63%) patients were JAK2V617F positive. Among 73 patients in whom quantitative JAK2V617F analysis was performed, the mutation was not detected in 30 (41%) patients and the median mutant allele burden in the 43 mutation-positive patients was 28% (range 1-85). The same 73 patients had rs12343867 SNP genotyping performed that revealed C/C genotype in 14 (19%) patients, C/T in 34 (47%) and T/T in 25 (34%). At or before diagnosis, a total of 29 patients (14 %) had TE: 23 (11%) AT and 9 (4%) VT. The AT included acute coronary syndromes (ACS; n=19), transient ischemic attack/ cerebrovascular accidents (TIA/CVA; n=6) and peripheral arterial thrombosis (PAT; n=1). The VT included abdominal vein thrombosis (AVT; n=4), deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism (DVT/PE; n=6) and dural sinus thrombosis (n=1). Several patients had more than one event and some both AT and VT. During follow-up, 22 (11%) patients experienced TE: 17 (8%) VT and 8 (4%) AT. The post-diagnosis VT included AVT (n=8), DVT/PE (n=13) and both DVT/PE and AVT (n=4). Post-diagnosis AT included CVA (n=4), TIA (n=1), ACS (n=2) and PAT (n=1). AT at or before diagnosis was associated with advanced age (p=0.003) but not with sex, leukocytosis, hemoglobin level, platelet count, JAK2 mutational status, JAK2 mutant allele burden or rs12343867 SNP genotype. VT at or before diagnosis also did not correlate with all these variables or age. These variables were also evaluated regarding their relationship with post-diagnosis AT, which showed significant associations with hemoglobin level (p=0.006), platelet count (p=0.04) and high JAK2V617F allele burden (0.03). The corresponding significant variables for post-diagnosis VT were leukocytosis (p=0.02) and high JAK2V617F allele burden (p=0.01). Of note, AT or VT at or before diagnosis did not predict post-diagnosis events. During multivariable analysis, only higher hemoglobin level predicted post-diagnosis AT. Conclusion The current study provides an accurate description of both arterial and venous thrombotic events in PMF. The association between higher hemoglobin and leukocyte counts at diagnosis and post-diagnosis occurrence, respectively, of arterial and venous thrombosis is similar to observations in patients with PV or ET and suggests a potential benefit from early institution of cytoreductive therapy for the appropriate patient groups. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Correlation of Novel Molecular Markers in Patients with Myeloproliferative Neoplasms.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v114.22.4968.4968 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 114 (22) ◽

pp. 4968-4968

Author(s):

Kai Kaufmann ◽

Sabina Swierczek ◽

Shulian Shang ◽

Albert Gruender ◽

Rona Singer Weinberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Molecular Markers ◽

Mrna Expression ◽

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms ◽

Hematological Parameters ◽

Hemoglobin Concentration ◽

Primary Myelofibrosis ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Allele Burden ◽

The Relationship ◽

Jak2v617f Allele Burden

Abstract Abstract 4968 Elucidation of the molecular aberrations underlying the development of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) has progressed rapidly during the previous years. In addition to the JAK2V617F mutation, which is found in over 90% of patients with polycythemia vera (PV) and in around 50% of patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) and primary myelofibrosis (PMF), several novel markers have recently been described. These include mutations in the Ten-Eleven-Translocation-2 (TET-2) gene, as well as overexpression of the hematopoietic transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid-2 (NF-E2). While the individual frequency of these abnormalities is well known, so far, studies that evaluate the relationship between these markers and their correlation with hematological parameters have not been conducted. The International Myeloproliferative Research Consortium (MPD-RC) has instituted a Tissue Bank (MPD-RC Trial 106) allowing the collection of MPN patient samples from member institutions in the US and Europe. Using this resource, we have investigated the relationship among the following molecular markers and hematological parameters in a series of 66 MPN patients: TET-2 mRNA expression, JAK2V617F allele burden, NF-E2 mRNA expression, granulocyte clonality (female patients) as well as hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, platelet numbers and leukocyte counts. Our crossectional cohort included 37 PV patients, 14 ET, 4 PMF and one post PV MF patient. Sixtyeight percent of the patients were treated, medication including hydroxyurea, anagrelide, ASA, interferon and one patient treated with imatinib mesylate. We acknowledge that treatment may affect the molecular markers being investigated. In addition, the desired effect of treatment on hematological parameters may not be paralleled by a similar effect on molecular markers. Therefore, investigation of treated patients may not reveal biological relationships present in untreated diseases states. We thus tested the effect of cytoreductive treatment on the expression of molecular markers by comparing treated and untreated patients in our cohort. The JAK2V617F allele burden was significantly lower in treated patients than in untreated patients (p = 0.008). The same difference was noted when PV patients were analyzed alone (p = 0.006) In contrast, neither TET-2 nor NF-E2 mRNA expression were affected by treatment. In the 66 MPN patients evaluated, a significant inverse Spearman correlation of -0.25 was noted between NF-E2 mRNA expression and hemoglobin concentration (p = 0.05). This relationship was more pronounced when PV patients were analyzed alone (Spearman's r = -0.41, p = 0.01). In addition, a correlation of 0.51 between JAK2V617F allele burden and NF-E2 mRNA expression was noted (p = 0.0007). Occurrence of the recently discovered TET-2 gene mutations, which are present in around 15% of MPN patients, was measured indirectly by determining TET-2 mRNA expression. None of the other markers and parameters assessed was significantly correlated with the amount of TET-2 mRNA expressed. We report a previously unrecognized inverse relationship between NF-E2 mRNA expression and hemoglobin concentration. These data complement several recent findings in MPN patients. While NF-E2 is overexpressed in granulocytes of all three MPN subtypes, PV, ET and PMF, its overexpression in CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells has so far only been observed in PMF. We have recently shown that ex vivo overexpression of NF-E2 in CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells drastically reduces erythroid colony formation. It was previously noted that mean JAK2V617F allele burdens in PMF patients are higher than in PV or ET. Here, we confirm the previously noted positive correlation between JAK2V617F allele burden and NF-E2 mRNA expression. Our data therefore suggest that high levels of JAK2V617F in PMF patients directly or indirectly augment NF-E2 overexpression, which may contribute to the anemia of Primary Myelofibrosis. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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