Hydroxyurea Reduces Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation In Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Introduction: Ph-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a group of clonal stem-cell disorders with an elevated risk for thrombosis. Leukocytosis is a well-known risk factor for thrombosis. Neutrophils from MPN patients display features of activation. On stimulation, neutrophils produce neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of thrombosis. Myeloperoxidase-conjugated DNA levels (a specific NET marker) have been found increased in plasma of thrombotic MPN patients (Guy, A, ISTH 2019 OC 77.3). Ex vivo, activated neutrophils from JAK2V617F patients are primed to form NETs, diminishing under ruxolitinib treatment. Mice with conditional knock-in of JAK2V617F have increased NETs formation and thrombotic events. Inhibition of JAK/STAT signaling by ruxolitinib abrogated NETs formation and reduced thrombosis in this murine model (Wolach, O, Sci. Transl. Med. 2018). Thus, a link between JAK2V617F expression, NETs formation and thrombosis has been suggested (Wolach, O, 2018). It remains unclear whether, in MPN patients, JAK/STAT independent pathways are implicated in the NETs formation. With this aim, we explored the effects of different cytoreductors in NETs formation.