Vannucchi AM, Pancrazzi A, Guglielmelli P, Di Lollo S, Bogani C, Baroni G, Bianchi L, Migliaccio AR, Bosi A, Paoletti F. Abnormalities of GATA-1 in megakaryocytes from patients with idiopathic myelofibrosis.
THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2005;
167:849-58. [PMID:
16127162 PMCID:
PMC1698737 DOI:
10.1016/s0002-9440(10)62056-1]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The abnormal megakaryocytopoiesis associated with idiopathic myelofibrosis (IM) plays a role in its pathogenesis. Because mice with defective expression of transcription factor GATA-1 (GATA-1(low) mutants) eventually develop myelofibrosis, we investigated the occurrence of GATA-1 abnormalities in IM patients. CD 34(+) cells were purified from 12 IM patients and 8 controls; erythroblasts and megakaryocytes were then obtained from unilineage cultures of CD 34(+) cells. Purified CD 61(+), GPA(+), and CD 34(+) cells from IM patients contained levels of GATA-1, GATA-2, and FOG-1 mRNA, as well as of GATA-2 protein, that were similar to controls. In contrast, CD 61(+) cells from IM patients contained significantly reduced GATA-1 protein. Furthermore, 45% of megakaryocytes in biopsies from IM patients did not stain with anti-GATA-1 antibody, as compared to controls (2%), essential thrombocythemia (4%), or polycythemia vera (11%) patients. Abnormalities in immunoreactivity for FOG-1 were not found, and no mutations in GATA-1 coding sequences were found. The presence of GATA-1(neg) megakaryocytes in bone marrow biopsies was independent of the Val 617 Phe JAK 2 mutation, making it unlikely that a downstream functional relationship exists. We conclude that megakaryocytes from IM patients have reduced GATA-1 content, possibly contributing to disease pathogenesis as in the GATA-1(low) mice and also representing a novel IM-associated marker.
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