A role for reactive oxygen species in JAK2 V617F myeloproliferative neoplasm progression

Leukemia. 2013 Nov;27(11):2187-95. doi: 10.1038/leu.2013.102. Epub 2013 Apr 5.

Abstract

Although other mutations may predate the acquisition of the JAK2(V617F) mutation, the latter is sufficient to drive the disease phenotype observed in BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). One of the consequences of JAK2(V617F) is genetic instability that could explain JAK2(V617F)-mediated MPN progression and heterogeneity. Here, we show that JAK2(V617F) induces the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the hematopoietic stem cell compartment of a knock-in (KI) mouse model and in patients with JAK2(V617F) MPNs. JAK2(V617F)-dependent ROS elevation was partly mediated by an AKT-induced decrease in catalase expression and was accompanied by an increased number of 8-oxo-guanines and DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Moreover, there was evidence for a mitotic recombination event in mice resulting in loss of heterozygosity of Jak2(V617F). Mice engrafted with 30% of Jak2(V617F) KI bone marrow (BM) cells developed a polycythemia vera-like disorder. Treatment with the anti-oxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) substantially restored blood parameters and reduced damages to DNA. Furthermore, NAC induced a marked decrease in splenomegaly with reduction in the frequency of the Jak2(V617F)-positive hematopoietic progenitors in BM and spleen. Altogether, overproduction of ROS is a mediator of JAK2(V617F)-induced DNA damages that promote disease progression. Targeting ROS accumulation might prevent the development of JAK2(V617F) MPNs.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcysteine / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Blotting, Western
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation
  • Case-Control Studies
  • DNA Damage / drug effects
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / cytology
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Janus Kinase 2 / physiology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Myeloproliferative Disorders / genetics
  • Myeloproliferative Disorders / metabolism*
  • Myeloproliferative Disorders / pathology*
  • Point Mutation / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Janus Kinase 2
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Acetylcysteine