Erythropoietin receptor mutations associated with familial erythrocytosis cause hypersensitivity to erythropoietin in the heterozygous state

Blood. 1999 Oct 1;94(7):2530-2.

Abstract

Inherited mutations in the erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) causing premature termination of the receptor cytoplasmic region are associated with dominant familial erythrocytosis (FE), a benign clinical condition characterized by hypersensitivity of erythroid progenitor cells to EPO and low serum EPO (S-EPO) levels. We describe a Swedish family with dominant FE in which erythrocytosis segregates with a new truncation in the negative control domain of the EPOR. We show that cells engineered to concomitantly express the wild-type (WT) EPOR and mutant EPORs associated with FE (FE EPORs) are hypersensitive to EPO-stimulated proliferation and activation of Jak2 and Stat5. These results demonstrate that FE is caused by hyperresponsiveness of receptor-mediated signaling pathways and that this is dominant with respect to WT EPOR signaling.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • DNA-Binding Proteins / blood
  • Erythrocyte Count
  • Erythroid Precursor Cells / drug effects*
  • Erythroid Precursor Cells / pathology
  • Erythroid Precursor Cells / physiology
  • Erythropoietin / blood*
  • Erythropoietin / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Genes, Dominant
  • Heterozygote
  • Humans
  • Janus Kinase 2
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Male
  • Milk Proteins*
  • Mutation
  • Pedigree
  • Platelet Count
  • Polycythemia / blood
  • Polycythemia / genetics*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / blood
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins*
  • Receptors, Erythropoietin / genetics*
  • STAT5 Transcription Factor
  • Trans-Activators / blood

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Milk Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Receptors, Erythropoietin
  • STAT5 Transcription Factor
  • Trans-Activators
  • Erythropoietin
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • JAK2 protein, human
  • Janus Kinase 2