Since the discovery of the JAK2V617F tyrosine kinase-activating mutation several genes have been found mutated in nonchronic myeloid leukemia (CML) myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), which mainly comprise three subtypes of "classic" MPNs; polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and myelofibrosis (MF). We searched for mutations in ASXL1, CBL, DNMT3A, IDH1, IDH2, JAK2, MPL, NF1, SF3B1, SUZ12, and TET2 genes in 149 non-CML MPNs, including 127 "classic" MPNs cases. JAK2 was mutated in 100% PV, 66% ET and 68% MF. We found a high incidence of ASXL1 mutation in MF patients (20%) and a low incidence in PV (7%) and ET (4%) patients. Mutations in the other genes were rare (CBL, DNMT3A, IDH2, MPL, SF3B1, SUZ12, NF1) or absent (IDH1).

Pulmonary inflammation, which is characterized by the presence of perivascular macrophages, has been proposed as a key pathogenic driver of pulmonary hypertension (PH), a vascular disease with increasing global significance. However, the mechanisms of expansion of lung macrophages and the role of blood-borne monocytes in PH are poorly understood. Using multicolor flow cytometric analysis of blood in mouse and rat models of PH and patients with PH, an increase in blood monocytes was observed. In parallel, lung tissue displayed increased chemokine transcript expression, including those responsible for monocyte recruitment, such as and, accompanied by an expansion of interstitial lung macrophages. These data indicate that blood monocytes are recruited to lung perivascular spaces and differentiate into inflammatory macrophages. Correspondingly, parabiosis between congenically different hypoxic mice demonstrated that most interstitial macrophages originated from blood monocytes. To define the actions of these cells in PH in vivo, we reduced blood monocyte numbers via genetic deficiency of or in chronically hypoxic male mice and by pharmacologic inhibition of Cxcl1 in monocrotaline-exposed rats. Both models exhibited decreased inflammatory blood monocytes, as well as interstitial macrophages, leading to a substantial decrease in arteriolar remodeling but with a less robust hemodynamic effect. This study defines a direct mechanism by which interstitial macrophages expand in PH. It also demonstrates a pathway for pulmonary vascular remodeling in PH that depends upon interstitial macrophage-dependent inflammation yet is dissociated, at least in part, from hemodynamic consequences, thus offering guidance on future anti-inflammatory therapeutic strategies in this disease.

There is a growing body of research on the neural control of immunity and inflammation. However, it is not known whether the nervous system can regulate the production of inflammatory myeloid cells from hematopoietic progenitor cells in disease conditions. Myeloid cell numbers in diabetic patients were strongly correlated with plasma concentrations of norepinephrine, suggesting the role of sympathetic neuronal activation in myeloid cell production. The spleens of diabetic patients and mice contained higher numbers of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-expressing leukocytes that produced catecholamines. Granulocyte macrophage progenitors (GMPs) expressed the β adrenergic receptor, a target of catecholamines. Ablation of splenic sympathetic neuronal signaling using surgical, chemical, and genetic approaches diminished GMP proliferation and myeloid cell development. Finally, mice lacking TH-producing leukocytes had reduced GMP proliferation, resulting in diminished myelopoiesis. Taken together, our study demonstrates that catecholamines produced by leukocytes and sympathetic nerve termini promote GMP proliferation and myeloid cell development.