Key Points • A gene expression profile consistent with activated JAK2 signaling is seen in all MPN patients, including in patients with CALR mutations. • Transcriptional profiling discriminates subsets of MPNs based on JAK2V617F allele burden and on the presence of CALR and TET2 mutations. Genomic studies have identified somatic alterations in the majority of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) patients, including JAK2 mutations in the majority of MPN patients and CALR mutations in JAK2-negative MPN patients. However, the role of JAK-STAT pathway activation in different MPNs, and in patients without JAK2 mutations, has not been definitively delineated. We used expression profiling, single nucleotide polymorphism arrays, and mutational profiling to investigate a well-characterized cohort of MPN patients. MPN patients with homozygous JAK2V617F mutations were characterized by a distinctive transcriptional profile. Notably, a transcriptional signature consistent with activated JAK2 signaling is seen in all MPN patients regardless of clinical phenotype or mutational status. In addition, the activated JAK2 signature was present in patients with somatic CALR mutations. Conversely, we identified a gene expression signature of CALR mutations; this signature was significantly enriched in JAK2-mutant MPN patients consistent with a shared mechanism of transformation by JAK2 and CALR mutations. We also identified a transcriptional signature of TET2 mutations in MPN patent samples. Our data indicate that MPN patients, regardless of diagnosis or JAK2 mutational status, are characterized by a distinct gene expression signature with upregulation of JAK-STAT target genes, demonstrating the central importance of the JAK-STAT pathway in MPN pathogenesis. (Blood. 2014;123(22):e123-e133) Introduction The Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are hematopoietic disorders characterized by clonal expansion of mature myeloid elements. These include polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and primary myelofibrosis (PMF). Genomic analysis of the MPNs has shown frequent mutational events in the JAK-STAT signaling pathway including JAK2V617F mutations in 90% to 95% of patients with PV, and in 50% to 60% of patients with ET and PMF. 1-5 In addition, somatic mutations in the thrombopoietin receptor MPL in a subset of patients with JAK2V617F-negative ET and PMF, JAK2 exon 12 mutations 6,7 in JAK2V617F-negative PV, 8,9 and LNK mutations in JAK2V617F-negative MPN 10-12 have been identified. These genetic data indicate that mutations that lead to constitutive JAK-STAT signaling are a common genetic event in the different MPNs. The identification of mutations in the JAK-STAT pathway in the majority of MPN patients led to the development of JAK inhibitors, and approval by the US Food and Drug Administration of the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib for the treatment of myelofibrosis (MF). 13,14 Treatment with ruxolitinib and other JAK kinase inhibitors leads to substantive clinical benefit including marked reduction in spl...

Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are at significant, cumulative risk of leukemic transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which is associated with adverse clinical outcome and resistance to standard AML therapies. We performed genomic profiling of post-MPN AML samples; these studies demonstrate somatic tumor protein 53 (TP53) mutations are common in JAK2V617F-mutant, post-MPN AML but not in chronic-phase MPN and lead to clonal dominance of JAK2V617F/TP53-mutant leukemic cells. Consistent with these data, expression of JAK2V617F combined with Tp53 loss led to fully penetrant AML in vivo. JAK2V617F-mutant, Tp53-deficient AML was characterized by an expanded megakaryocyte erythroid progenitor population that was able to propagate the disease in secondary recipients. In vitro studies revealed that post-MPN AML cells were sensitive to decitabine, the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib, or the heat shock protein 90 inhibitor 8-Treatment with ruxolitinib or PU-H71 improved survival of mice engrafted with JAK2V617F-mutant, Tp53-deficient AML, demonstrating therapeutic efficacy for these targeted therapies and providing a rationale for testing these therapies in post-MPN AML. (1). Mutations in JAK2 have been identified in the majority of patients with PV, ET, and PMF (2-6), underscoring the importance of activated JAK-STAT signaling to the pathogenesis of chronicphase MPN. Despite the increasing use of empiric and targeted therapies, a subset of MPN patients transform to secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Leukemic transformation occurs in 1%, 4%, and 20% of patients over a 10-y period in ET, PV, and PMF, respectively (7). MPN patients who develop leukemic transformation have a dismal outcome, with a median survival of less than 6 mo (8). Advanced age (>60 y) and exposure to chemotherapy increase the risk of leukemic transformation; however, the mechanisms and pathways that contribute to transformation from MPN to AML have not been well delineated. Importantly, the use of standard AML therapies, including induction chemotherapy, has not been shown to improve outcome for patients with post-MPN AML (8, 9). These data indicate a need for new models and improved therapeutic approaches to improve outcomes for patients who have transformed from MPN to AML and to identify genetic lesions associated with leukemic transformation.Genetic studies of paired samples before and after leukemic transformation have suggested there are at least two distinct routes for leukemic transformation. Some patients who present with a JAK2/MPL-positive MPN progress to JAK2/MPL-positive AML that is associated with the acquisition of additional genetic alterations (10-13). A second, more complex route to AML from MPN has been described in which a JAK2/MPL-positive MPN is followed by JAK2/MPL-negative AML (14, 15). Clonality studies using X-chromosome inactivation in informative females demonstrated that JAK2/MPL-positive MPN and JAK2/MPL-negative AML are clonally related, consistent with transformation of an antecedent, preJAK2...

Summary Somatic mutations in IDH1/2 and TET2 result in impaired TET2 mediated conversion of 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC). The observation that WT1 inactivating mutations anti-correlate with TET2/IDH1/2 mutations in AML led us to hypothesize that WT1 mutations may impact TET2 function. WT1 mutant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients have reduced 5-hmC levels similar to TET2/IDH1/2-mutant AML. These mutations are characterized by convergent, site-specific alterations in DNA hydroxymethylation, which drive differential gene expression more than alterations in DNA promoter methylation. WT1 overexpression increases global levels of 5-hmC, and WT1 silencing reduced 5-hmC levels. WT1 physically interacts with TET2 and TET3, and WT1 loss of function results in a similar hematopoietic differentiation phenotype as observed with TET2 deficiency. These data provide a novel role for WT1 in regulating DNA hydroxymethylation and suggest that TET2 IDH1/2, and WT1 mutations define a novel AML subtype defined by dysregulated DNA hydroxymethylation.

Estrov and collaborators examine the role of fibrocytes in primary myelofibrosis and propose a novel therapeutic approach.

Summary Although clinically tested JAK inhibitors reduce splenomegaly and systemic symptoms, molecular responses are not observed in most myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) patients. We previously demonstrated that MPN cells become persistent to type I JAK inhibitors that bind the active conformation of JAK2. We investigated if CHZ868, a type II JAK inhibitor, would demonstrate activity in JAK inhibitor persistent cells, murine MPN models, and MPN patient samples. JAK2- and MPL-mutant cell lines were sensitive to CHZ868, including type I JAK inhibitor persistent cells. CHZ868 showed significant activity in murine MPN models and induced reductions in mutant allele burden not observed with type I JAK inhibitors. These data demonstrate that type II JAK inhibition is a viable therapeutic approach for MPN patients.