High-resolution melting assay for rapid, simultaneous detection of JAK2, MPL and CALR variants.

Aims: Identification of recurrent genetic alterations in JAK2, MPL and CALR remains crucial in the diagnosis of Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Current laboratory testing algorithms may entail batching and/or sequential testing, involving multiple testing modalities and sometimes send-out testing that increase the technical and economic demands on laboratories while delaying patient diagnoses. To address this gap, an assay based on PCR and high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis was developed for simultaneous evaluation of JAK2 exons 12-14, MPL exon 10 and CALR exon 9, embodied in the HemeScreen® (hereafter 'HemeScreen') MPN assay.

Methods: The HemeScreen MPN assay was validated with blood and bone marrow samples from 982 patients with clinical suspicion for MPN. The HRM assay and Sanger sequencing were performed in independent Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified laboratories with Sanger sequencing (supported by droplet digital PCR) serving as the gold standard.

Results: HRM and Sanger sequencing had an overall concordance of 99.4% with HRM detecting 133/139 (96%) variants confirmed by sequencing (9/10 MPL, 25/25 CALR, 99/104 JAK2), including 114 single nucleotide variants and 25 indels (3-52 bp). Variants consisted of disease-associated (DA) variants (89%), variants of unclear significance (2%) and non-DA variants (9%) with a positive predictive value of 92.3% and negative predictive value of 99.5%.

Conclusions: These studies demonstrate the exquisite accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the HRM-based HemeScreen MPN assay, which serves as a powerful, clinically applicable platform for rapid, simultaneous detection of clinically relevant, somatic disease variants.