Single-cell analysis reveals the KIT D816V mutation in haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in systemic mastocytosis

Background Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a haematological disease characterised by organ infiltration by neoplastic mast cells. Almost all SM patients have a mutation in the gene encoding the tyrosine kinase receptor KIT causing a D816V substitution and autoactivation of the receptor. Mast cells and CD34+ haematopoietic progenitors can carry the mutation; however, in which progenitor cell subset the mutation arises is unknown. We aimed to investigate the distribution of the D816V mutation in single mast cells and single haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Methods Fluorescence-activated single-cell index sorting and KIT D816V mutation assessment were applied to analyse mast cells and >10,000 CD34+ bone marrow progenitors across 10 haematopoietic progenitor subsets. In vitro assays verified cell-forming potential. Findings We found that in SM 60–99% of the mast cells harboured the KIT D816V mutation. Despite increased frequencies of mast cells in SM patients compared with control subjects, the haematopoietic progenitor subset frequencies were comparable. Nevertheless, the mutation could be detected throughout the haematopoietic landscape of SM patients, from haematopoietic stem cells to more lineage-primed progenitors. In addition, we demonstrate that FceRI+ bone marrow progenitors exhibit mast cell-forming potential, and we describe aberrant CD45RA expression on SM mast cells for the first time. Interpretation The KIT D816V mutation arises in early haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and the mutation frequency is approaching 100% in mature mast cells, which express the aberrant marker CD45RA.