Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells of patients with myeloproliferative disorders do not carry the JAK2-V617F mutation

Myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs) are often associated with the presence of the JAK2-V617F mutation in hematopoietic cells. It is currently not known if this mutation is carried as well by bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in these patients. To test this hypothesis, we recruited seven patients with JAK2-V617F+ MPD, isolated marrow MSCs and characterized their phenotype and mesenchymal differentiation capacity, and probed for JAK2-V617F genomic DNA mutation. We found that MSCs of most patients could be culture-expanded and had a phenotype and differentiation capacity similar to that of MSCs derived from normal subjects. Using real-time polymerase chain reaction and melting curve analysis with probes specific for the JAK2-V617F DNA mutation, we did not find the mutation in any of the MSC samples studied. These results demonstrate that, in the setting of MPD, MSC do not originate from the mutated hematopoietic progenitor clone.