Some gene mutations are acquired during a person's lifetime and are present only in certain cells. These changes, which are called somatic mutations, are not inherited. Somatic mutations in the JAK2 gene are associated with essential thrombocythemia, a disorder characterized by an increased number of platelets, the blood cell fragments involved in normal blood clotting. The most common mutation (written as Val617Phe or V617F) replaces the protein building block (amino acid) valine with the amino acid phenylalanine at position 617 in the protein. This particular mutation is found in approximately half of people with essential thrombocythemia. A small number of affected individuals have a somatic mutation in another part of the JAK2 gene known as exon 12.

The V617F JAK2 gene mutation results in the production of a JAK2 protein that is constantly turned on (constitutively activated), which, in essential thrombocythemia, leads to the overproduction of abnormal blood cells called megakaryocytes. Because platelets are formed from megakaryocytes, the overproduction of megakaryocytes results in an increased number of platelets. Excess platelets can cause abnormal blood clotting (thrombosis), which leads to many signs and symptoms of essential thrombocythemia.

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JAK2 gene - Genetics Home Reference - NIH