Determination of G /A +G ratio in beta thalassemia, an indicator of diseases severity

ABSTRACT

The globin chains were separated by electrophoresis on acrylamide-bis acrylamide gels containing Triton X-100, urea, 2 mercaptoethanol, and acetic acid. The G gamma/ A gamma+ G gamma ratio was determined in 25 cord blood samples and in 46 beta-thalassemic homozygotes among Iranian children. In 25 cord blood samples the mean value for G gamma / ? gamma + G gamma was 0.66. All beta-thalassemia homozygotes had an elevated HbF from 5-80% and the mean value for G gamma / G gamma + A gamma was 0.64 and their G gamma chain level in the peripheral blood was found to be intermediate between the embryonic and adult values. We conclude that HbF and G gamma chain level as well as the severity of the disease is due to Beta-thalassemia variants, but there is a poor correlation between HbF level and G gamma /G gamma + ? gamma ratio, both in cord blood samples and Beta-thalassemia samples