THE BLOOD AND BODY DEFENCES Flashcards
What are myeloproliferative neoplasms?
a group of rare blood cancers in which excess red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets are produced in the bone marrow
what is polycythaemia?
an excess of red blood cells in the circulation
what are the clinical signs of polycythaemia?
breathing difficulties, excessive bleeding, splenomegaly, red colouring, symptoms of phlebitis
what are the symptoms of polycythaemia?
fatigue, dizziness, increased sweating, blurred vision, headache, itchiness (especially after a hot shower)
what is itchiness caused by in polycythaemia?
increases basophils and mast cells which release histamine- histamine makes the skin itch
what are the 2 main types of polycythaemia?
primary and secondary
what is the main type of primary polycythaemia?
polycythaemia rubra vera
what is the cause of primary polycthaemia?
its a familial congenital version due to the enhanced responsiveness to EPO caused by mutations in the EPO receptor
what is the cause of secondary polycythaemia?
caused by conditions that promotes RBC development by overstimulating the normal bone marrow e.g. hypoxia in COPD stimulates this or EPO-secreting tumours
what is the cause of polycythaemia rubra vera?
A mutation in JAK2 that stops the domain having an auto-inhibitory function the kinase is always on even in the absence of EPO
polycythaemia rubra vera can lead to myelofibrosis and acute leukaemia. what are these conditions?
myelofibrosis is when RBCs dry out and forms fibrous scar tissue in the bone marrow so it loses its function- can lead to anaemia
leukaemia is a blood cancer caused by a rise in WBC
what is essential thrombocythemia? what are the implications?
an excess of platelets
can increase risk of blood clots and increase risk of bleeding
why would thrombocythaemia carry an increased risk of bleeding?
because all the vWF is used up forming clots so when it is actually needed, there isn’t much available
what are the clinical signs of thrombocythaemia?
frequently asymptomatic
haemorrhages, thrombosis
can occasionally lead to leukaemia and Myelofibrosis
what is thrombocythaemia caused by?
a mutation in JAK2 so its stimulated even when thrombopoietin isn’t present
what is myelofibrosis?
when bone marrow gets replaced with connective tissue (fibrosis) so bone marrow cannot produce blood cells efficiently
what are the 2 types of myelofibrosis? how do these differ?
primary- mutation in JAK 2
secondary- develops from conditions like polycythaemia and thrombocythaemia
what are the clinical signs of myelofibrosis?
splenomegaly, bone marrow fibrosis, anaemia, thrombocythaemia, thrombocytopenia, variable WBC
name 3 myeloproliferative neoplasms?
polycythaemia
essential thrombocythaemia
myelofibrosis
what is a kinase?
An enzyme that catalyses the transfer of phosphate groups from high-energy, phosphate-donating molecules to specific substrates
what is EPO?
erythropoietin, a cytokine that allows cells to go down a transcriptional pathway to allow the production of myeloid cells
what are the domains of JAK2?
one is the 3d structure that interacts with cytokine receptors, one allows kinase activity, one helps form the conformation and stability of the molecule and one is the auto inhibitory domain
what does the auto-inhibitory domain of JAK2 do?
it keeps the kinase inactive until there’s an appropriate interaction and signal through the receptor
what is the JAK2 mutation called?
V617F