ASXL1 and STAG2 are common mutations in GATA2 deficiency patients with bone marrow disease and myelodysplastic syndrome

Abstract

Abstract Patients with GATA2 deficiencyharbor de novo or inherited germline mutations in the GATA2 transcription factor gene, predisposing them to myeloid malignancies. There is considerable variation in disease progression, even among family members with the same mutation in GATA2. We investigated somatic mutations in 106 patients with GATA2 deficiency to identify acquired mutations that are associated with myeloid malignancies. Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) was the most common diagnosis (∼44%), followed by GATA2 bone marrow immunodeficiency disorder (G2BMID; ∼37%). Thirteen percent of the cohort had GATA2 mutations but displayed no disease manifestations. There were no correlations between age or sex with disease progression or survival. Cytogenetic analyses showed a high incidence of abnormalities (∼43%), notably trisomy 8 (∼23%) and monosomy 7 (∼12%), but the changes did not correlate with lower survival. Somatic mutations in ASXL1 and STAG2 were detected in ∼25% of patients, although the mutations were rarely concomitant. Mutations in DNMT3A were found in ∼10% of patients. These somatic mutations were found similarly in G2BMID and MDS, suggesting clonal hematopoiesis in early stages of disease, before the onset of MDS. ASXL1 mutations conferred a lower survival probability and were more prevalent in female patients. STAG2 mutations also conferred a lower survival probability, but did not show a statistically significant sex bias. There was a conspicuous absence of many commonly mutated genes associated with myeloid malignancies, including TET2, IDH1/2, and the splicing factor genes. Notably, somatic mutations in chromatin-related genes and cohesin genes characterized disease progression in GATA2 deficiency.