Project description:The types of β-thalassemia mutations, α-thalassemia interactions, and Hb F-associated SNPs have been described in association with variable disease phenotypes. This study aimed to determine the updated spectrum of β-thalassemia mutations and evaluate the contribution of primary and secondary genetic modifiers and SNPs to disease severity, age at onset, and predicted life expectancy in southern Thai β-thalassemia patients. A total of 181 β-thalassemia patients were enrolled and 135 β0-thalassemia/Hb E patients without α-thalassemia interactions were divided into three categories according to disease severity, age at onset, and predicted life expectancy. A total of 16 β-thalassemia mutations were identified in this study, and the three most common β-thalassemia mutations accounted for 61.4% of all mutations. It was also found that the XmnI polymorphism and rs2071348 were associated with age at onset and the predicted life expectancy. More than 82% of β0-thalassemia/Hb E patients with CC genotype (XmnI) were 3 years old or younger at onset. Additionally, >90% of the higher predicted life expectancy in β0-thalassemia/Hb E patients had the T allele of XmnI. Therefore, genetic prediction for age at onset and life expectancy is beneficial and practical during prenatal diagnosis or newborn screening for better genetic counseling and optimal management.
Project description:α0-thalassemia of SEA deletion (-SEA) is common among Southeast Asian and Chinese. Using haplotype and phylogenetic analyses, we examined the origin of this defect in Southeast Asian populations. Study was done on both normal and α0-thalassemia alleles in 3 ethnic groups including 96 Thai, 52 Laotian and 21 Cambodian. Five SNPs encompassing the (-SEA) including (rs3760053 T>G), (rs1211375 A>C), (rs3918352 A>G), (rs1203974 A>G) and (rs11248914 C>T) were examined using high-resolution melting assays. It was found that 94.0% of Thai, 100% of Laotian and 100% of Cambodian α0-thalassemia alleles were linked to the same haplotype: the haplotype H4 (AAGC), representing an Asian specific origin. An G allele of the (rs3760053) was found to be in strong linkage disequilibrium with the α0-thalassemia allele in these populations. A multiplex PCR assay was developed to detect simultaneously the (-SEA) allele and genotyping of a linked (rs3760053) to improve accuracy of prenatal diagnosis of α0-thalassemia. Application of this multiplex PCR assay for routine prenatal diagnosis of α0-thalassemia in 12 families revealed a 100% concordant result with conventional gap-PCR assay. Therefore, a single genetic origin is responsible for the spread and high prevalence of the (-SEA) in the region. The multiplex PCR assay developed should provide a double-check PCR system for more accurate diagnosis and allow the monitoring of possible maternal contamination at prenatal diagnosis of this important genetic disorder.
Project description:β-Thalassemia/HbE disease has a wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes ranging from asymptomatic to dependent on regular blood transfusions. Ability to predict disease severity is helpful for clinical management and treatment decision making. A thalassemia severity score has been developed from Mediterranean β-thalassemia patients. However, different ethnic groups may have different allele frequency and linkage disequilibrium structures. Here, Thai β0-thalassemia/HbE disease genome-wild association studies (GWAS) data of 487 patients were analyzed by SNP interaction prioritization algorithm, interacting Loci (iLoci), to find predictive SNPs for disease severity. Three SNPs from two SNP interaction pairs associated with disease severity were identifies. The three-SNP disease severity risk score composed of rs766432 in BCL11A, rs9399137 in HBS1L-MYB and rs72872548 in HBE1 showed more than 85% specificity and 75% accuracy. The three-SNP predictive score was then validated in two independent cohorts of Thai and Malaysian β0-thalassemia/HbE patients with comparable specificity and accuracy. The SNP risk score could be used for prediction of clinical severity for Southeast Asia β0-thalassemia/HbE population.
Project description:BackgroundHemoglobin E beta-thalassemia (beta-thalassemia/Hb E) has a variable severity, and the cost of treatment has not been well studied. The aim of this study was to analyze the societal cost of caring for children with beta-thalassemias in Thailand. The study was designed as a prevalence-based cost-of-illness analysis in a societal perspective. Medical records from three public hospitals of children aged 2-18 years with beta-thalassemia/Hb E and homozygous beta-thalassemia were reviewed for direct medical cost determination. For direct non-medical cost and indirect cost, a family member was interviewed.FindingsIt was found that 201 patients with beta-thalassemia/Hb E (91%) and homozygous beta-thalassemia (9%) were recruited for this study. Ninety-two (46%) were severe thalassemia and 109 (54%) were mild to moderate severity. The annual average cost of treatment was US$950; 59% was direct medical cost, 17% direct non-medical cost, and 24% indirect cost. The costs were differentiated by some potential predictors. Significant predictor variables were: hospital, health insurance scheme, blood transfusion pattern, and iron chelation drug use.ConclusionsThe average annual cost per patient was calculated, and the cost model was estimated. These would be applied for national planning, economic evaluation of treatment and prevention interventions, and budget impact analysis.
Project description:Abnormal hemoglobin anti-Lepore Hong Kong is a rare βδ fusion variants resulting from non-homologous crossover during meiosis. Anti-Lepore Hong Kong is known to consistently exhibit significantly increased level of HbA2. In this study, we used multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) and single molecular real-time (SMRT) sequencing, as well as Sanger sequencing, to identify variants in five unrelated families with abnormal elevated HbA2 level. All probands in these five families were found to be heterozygous for anti-Lepore Hong Kong. Among them, two families showed co-occurrence of β0-thalassemia and α-thalassemia (-SEA/ or αCSα/). Heterozygotes for anti-Lepore Hong Kong displayed an average HbA2 level of 17.7% and behaved normal. However, when combined with β0-thalassemia and α-thalassemia, the probands exhibited higher HbA2 level (30.2-40.8%) and behaved with β-thalassemia trait. Furthermore, determination of the α/β-mRNA ratio revealed a slight downregulation of β-globin, similar to that of β-thalassemia minor. Our study is the first to identify compound heterozygotes for anti-Lepore Hong Kong, β0-thalassemia and α-thalassemia, provide valuable information for prenatal counseling.
Project description:Reactivating of fetal hemoglobin (HbF; α2γ2) can ameliorate the severity of β-thalassemia disease by compensating for adult hemoglobin deficiency in patients. Previously, microarray analysis revealed that zinc finger protein (ZNF)802 (also known as Juxta-posed with another zinc finger gene-1 (JAZF1)) was upregulated in human erythroblasts derived from adult peripheral blood compared with fetal liver-derived cells, implying a potential role as a HbF repressor. However, deficiency in ZNF802 induced by lentiviral shRNA in β0-thalassemia/hemoglobinE erythroblasts had no effect on erythroblast proliferation and differentiation. Remarkably, the induction of HBG expression was observed at the transcriptional and translational levels resulting in an increase of HbF to 35.0 ± 3.5%. Interestingly, the embryonic globin transcripts were also upregulated but the translation of embryonic globin was not detected. These results suggest ZNF802 might be a transcriptional repressor of the γ-globin gene in adult erythroid cells.
Project description:IntroductionPatients with a homozygous β0 -thalassemia mutation usually have a transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia major phenotype. However, some β-thalassemia patients present with a relatively mild and even normal phenotype and always have a high level of Hb F induced by genetic modifiers.MethodsIn this study, we identified a homozygous β0 -thalassemia mutation (HBB: c.126_129delCTTT) in a 36-year-old pregnant woman. She had not presented any clinical symptoms of β-thalassemia since birth. To investigate her unexpected mild phenotype, known genetic modifiers that ameliorate the severity of β-thalassemia were analysed. Besides, we described the haematological changes during pregnancy.ResultsTwo genetic modifiers (a heterozygous KLF1: c.519_525dup mutation; and two homozygous HBS1L-MYB locus SNP variants: rs7776054 and rs9399137) were identified. However, she showed a gradually decreased level of Hb during pregnancy, and serious transfusion complication of hyperhaemolysis was induced and complicated the pregnancy.ConclusionThis report is in accordance with previous findings that genetic modifiers can ameliorate the clinical severity of β-thalassemia, even without obvious clinical symptoms in a prolonged steady state. However, the steady state can be disrupted during pregnancy. In addition, raising awareness of hyperhaemolysis among clinicians treating patients with thalassemia is necessary.
Project description:Gene editing by the CRISPR-Cas9 nuclease system technology can be considered among the most promising strategies to correct hereditary mutations in a variety of monogenic diseases. In this paper, we present for the first time the correction, by CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, of the β039-thalassemia mutation, one of the most frequent in the Mediterranean area. The results obtained demonstrated the presence of normal β-globin genes after CRISPR-Cas9 correction of the β039-thalassemia mutation performed on erythroid precursor cells from homozygous β039-thalassemia patients. This was demonstrated by allele-specific PCR and sequencing. Accumulation of corrected β-globin mRNA and relevant "de novo" production of β-globin and adult hemoglobin (HbA) were found with high efficiency. The CRISPR-Cas9-forced HbA production levels were associated with a significant reduction of the excess of free α-globin chains. Genomic toxicity of the editing procedure (low indels and no off-targeting) was analyzed. The protocol might be the starting point for the development of an efficient editing of CD34+ cells derived from β039 patients and for the design of combined treatments using, together with the CRISPR-Cas9 editing of the β-globin gene, other therapeutic approaches, such as, for instance, induction of HbA and/or fetal hemoglobin (HbF) using chemical inducers.
Project description:BackgroundLow HbF expression in HbE-β+-thalassemia may lead to misdiagnosis of HbE heterozygosity. We aimed to characterize the β- and α-globin genes and the modifying factors related to HbF expression in patients with an Hb phenotype similar to that of HbE heterozygotes. Furthermore, screening tools for differentiating HbE-β+-thalassemia from HbE heterozygotes have been investigated.Participants and methodsA total of 2133 participants with HbE and HbA with varying HbF levels were recruited. Polymerase chain reaction-based DNA analysis and sequencing were performed to characterize β- and α-globin genes. DNA polymorphism at position -158 nt 5' to Gγ-globin was performed by XmnI restriction digestion. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed using the area under the curve (AUC). Cutoff values of HbA2, HbE, and HbF levels for the differentiation of HbE-β+-thalassemia from HbE heterozygotes were determined.ResultsFive β+-thalassemia mutations trans to βE-gene (β-87(C>A), β-31(A>G), β-28(A>G), β19(A>G), and β126(T>G)) were identified in 79 patients. Among these, 54 presented with low HbF levels, and 25 presented with high HbF levels. ROC curve analysis revealed an excellent AUC of 1.000 (95% confidence interval:1.000-1.000) for HbE levels, and a cut-off point of ≥35.0% had 100.0% sensitivity, specificity, and Youden's index for differentiating HbE-β+-thalassemia from HbE heterozygotes. The proportion of α-thalassemia mutations was 46.3 and 8.0% among HbE-β+-thalassemia patients with low and high HbF levels, respectively. Two rare α-thalassemia mutations (Cap +14(C>G) and initiation codon (ATG>-TG)) of α2-globin genes were identified. The genotype and allele of the polymorphism at -158 nt 5' to Gγ-globin was found to be negatively associated with HbF expression.ConclusionsHbE-β+-thalassemia cannot be disregarded until appropriate DNA analysis is performed, and the detection of α-thalassemia mutations should always be performed under these conditions. An HbE level ≥35.0% may indicate screening of samples for DNA analysis for HbE-β+-thalassemia diagnosis.
Project description:We described the clinical, laboratory and molecular characteristics of individuals with Hb S (HBB: c.20A>T)/β-thalassemia (Hb S/β-thal) participating in the Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study (REDS-III) Brazil Sickle Cell Disease cohort. HBB gene sequencing was performed to genotype each β-thal mutation. Patients were classified as Hb S/β0-thal, Hb S/β+-thal-severe or Hb S/β+-thal based on prior literature and databases of hemoglobin (Hb) variants. Characteristics of patients with each β-thal mutation were described and the clinical profile of patients grouped into Hb S/β0-thal, Hb S/β+-thal and Hb S/β+-thal-severe were compared. Of the 2793 patients enrolled, 84 (3.0%) had Hb S/β0-thal and 83 (3.0%) had Hb S/β+-thal; 40/83 (48.2%) patients with Hb S/β+-thal had mutations defined as severe. We identified 19 different β-thal mutations, eight Hb S/β0-thal, three Hb S/β+-thal-severe and eight Hb S/β+-thal. The most frequent β0 and β+ mutations were codon 39 (HBB: c.118C>T) and IVS-I-6 (T>C) (HBB: c.92+6T>C), respectively. Individuals with Hb S/β0-thal had a similar clinical and laboratory phenotype when compared to those with Hb S/β+-thal-severe. Individuals with Hb S/β+-thal-severe had significantly lower total Hb and Hb A levels and higher Hb S, white blood cell (WBC) count, platelets and hemolysis markers when compared to those with Hb S/β+-thal. Likewise, individuals with Hb S/β+-thal-severe showed a significantly higher occurrence of hospitalizations, vaso-occlusive events (VOE), acute chest syndrome (ACS), splenic sequestration, blood utilization, and hydroxyurea (HU) therapy.