Alpha Thalassemia Genotypes in Kuwait

Abstract Background: The frequency of the alpha thalassemia trait is approximately 40% in the Kuwaiti population, but there has been no comprehensive study of the prevalent alleles. This is a report of patients who were referred for molecular diagnosis over a 20-year period.Methods: This is a retrospective study of the a-globin genotypes obtained in the Hemoglobin Research Laboratory of the Department of Pediatrics, Kuwait University from 1994 to 2015. Genotyping was performed by a combination of PCR, allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization and reverse dot blot hybridization (Vienna Lab Strip Assay).Results: Four hundred samples were characterized and analyzed from individuals aged <1 month to 80 years, with a median of 6 years from 283 unrelated families. Most (90.8%) were Kuwaiti nationals. The commonest genotype was homozygosity for the polyadenylation-1 mutation (αPA-1α/α PA-1α) in 33.3% of the samples, followed by heterozygosity (αα/α PA-1α) for the same mutation in 32.3%. PA-1 was therefore the most frequent allele (0.59). The frequency of the α0 (--MED) allele was 0.017. Rare alleles that were found in very low frequencies included α0 (--FIL) in a Filipino child, Hb Constant Spring, Hb Adana, and Hb Icaria.Conclusion: There is a wide variety of alpha thalassemia alleles among Kuwaitis, but nondeletional PA-1 is by far the most common cause of the moderate to severe HbH (β4 tetramer) disease phenotype. The α0 (–MED) allele is also encountered, which has implications for premarital counseling, especially for the possibility of having babies with alpha thalassemia major (Barts hydrops fetalis).

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Alpha Thalassemia Genotypes in Kuwait

10.21203/rs.2.22547/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Adekunle Adekile ◽

Jalaja Sukumaran ◽

Diana Thomas ◽

Thomas De Souza ◽

Mohammad Haider

Keyword(s):

Blot Hybridization ◽

Thalassemia Major ◽

Dot Blot ◽

Low Frequencies ◽

Kuwait University ◽

Alpha Thalassemia ◽

Reverse Dot Blot Hybridization ◽

Oligonucleotide Hybridization ◽

Allele Specific ◽

Kuwaiti Population

Abstract Background: The frequency of alpha thalassemia trait is about 40% in the Kuwaiti population, but there has been no comprehensive study of the prevalent alleles. This is a report of the patients who were referred for molecular diagnosis over a 20-year period.Methods: This is a retrospective study of the a-globin genotypes obtained in the Hemoglobin Research Laboratory of the Department of Pediatrics, Kuwait University from 1994 to 2015. Genotyping was by a combination of PCR, allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization and reverse dot-blot hybridization (Vienna Lab Strip Assay).Results: Four hundred samples were characterized and analyzed from individuals aged <1 month to 80 years, with a median of 6 years from 283 unrelated families.. Most (90.8%) were Kuwaiti nationals. The common genotype was homozygosity for the polyadenylation-1 mutation (αPA-1α/α PA-1α) in 33.3%, followed by heterozygosity (αα/α PA-1α) for the same mutation in 32.3%. The PA-1 was therefore the most frequent allele (0.59). The frequency of the α0, –MED was 0.017. Rare alleles that were found in very low frequencies included the α0 (--FIL) in a Filipino child, Hb Constant Spring, Hb Adana, and Hb Icaria.Conclusion: There is a wide variety of alpha thalassemia alleles among Kuwaitis, but the nondeletional PA-1 is by far the most common cause of moderate to severe HbH (β4 tetramer), disease phenotype. The α0 (–MED) allele is also encountered, which has implications for pre-marital counselling especially the possibility of having babies with alpha thalassemia major (Barts hydrops fetalis).

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Alpha Thalassemia Genotypes in Kuwait

10.21203/rs.2.22547/v4 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Adekunle Adekile ◽

Jalaja Sukumaran ◽

Diana Thomas ◽

Thomas De Souza ◽

Mohammad Haider

Keyword(s):

Blot Hybridization ◽

Thalassemia Major ◽

Dot Blot ◽

Low Frequencies ◽

Kuwait University ◽

Alpha Thalassemia ◽

Reverse Dot Blot Hybridization ◽

Oligonucleotide Hybridization ◽

Allele Specific ◽

Kuwaiti Population

Abstract Background: The frequency of alpha thalassemia trait is about 40% in the Kuwaiti population, but there has been no comprehensive study of the prevalent alleles. This is a report of the patients who were referred for molecular diagnosis over a 20-year period. Methods: This is a retrospective study of the a-globin genotypes obtained in the Hemoglobin Research Laboratory of the Department of Pediatrics, Kuwait University from 1994 to 2015. Genotyping was by a combination of PCR, allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization and reverse dot-blot hybridization (Vienna Lab Strip Assay). Results: Four hundred samples were characterized and analyzed from individuals aged <1 month to 80 years, with a median of 6 years from 283 unrelated families.. Most (90.8%) were Kuwaiti nationals. The common genotype was homozygosity for the polyadenylation-1 mutation (α PA-1 α/α PA-1 α) in 33.3%, followed by heterozygosity (αα/α PA-1 α) for the same mutation in 32.3%. The PA-1 was therefore the most frequent allele (0.59). The frequency of the α 0 , – MED was 0.017. Rare alleles that were found in very low frequencies included the α 0 (-- FIL ) in a Filipino child, Hb Constant Spring, Hb Adana, and Hb Icaria. Conclusion : There is a wide variety of alpha thalassemia alleles among Kuwaitis, but the nondeletional PA-1 is by far the most common cause of moderate to severe HbH (β4 tetramer), disease phenotype. The α 0 (– MED ) allele is also encountered, which has implications for pre-marital counselling especially the possibility of having babies with alpha thalassemia major (Barts hydrops fetalis).

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Spectrum of Alpha Thalassemia Alleles in Kuwait

10.21203/rs.2.22547/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Adekunle Adekile ◽

Jalaja Sukumaran ◽

Diana Thomas ◽

Thomas De Souza ◽

Mohammad Haider

Keyword(s):

Blot Hybridization ◽

Thalassemia Major ◽

Dot Blot ◽

Low Frequencies ◽

Kuwait University ◽

Alpha Thalassemia ◽

Oligonucleotide Hybridization ◽

Alpha Globin ◽

Allele Specific ◽

Kuwaiti Population

Abstract Background: The frequency of alpha thalassemia trait is about 40% in the Kuwaiti population, but there has been no comprehensive study of the prevalent alleles. This is a report of the patients who were referred for molecular diagnosis over a 20-year period. Methods: Blood samples from suspected cases were sent to the Hemoglobin Research Laboratory of the Department of Pediatrics, Kuwait University. A retrospective study of the molecular characterization of samples from 1994 to 2015 was carried out. The alpha globin genotypes were determined by a combination of PCR, allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization and reverse dot-blot hybridization (Vienna Lab Strip Assay). Results: 400 samples were characterized and analyzed from individuals aged <1 month to 80 years, with a median of 6 years (~60% children and adolescents). Most (90.8%) were Kuwaiti nationals. The common genotype was homozygosity for the polyadenylation-1 mutation (αPA-1α/α PA-1α) in 33.3%, followed by heterozygosity (αα/α PA-1α) for the same mutation in 32.3%. The PA-1 was therefore the most frequent allele (0.733). The frequency of the α0, –MED was 0.19. Rare alleles that were found in very low frequencies included the α0 (--FIL) in a Filipino child, Hb Constant Spring, Hb Adana,and Hb Icaria. Conclusion: There is a wide variety of alpha thalassemia alleles among Kuwaitis, but the nondeletional PA-1 is by far the most common cause of moderate to severe HbH disease phenotype. The α0 (–MED) allele is also encountered, which has implications for pre-marital counselling especially the possibility of having babies with alpha thalassemia major (Barts hydrops fetalis).

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Spectrum of Alpha Thalassemia Alleles in Kuwait

10.21203/rs.2.22547/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Adekunle Adekile ◽

Jalaja Sukumaran ◽

Diana Thomas ◽

Thomas De Souza ◽

Mohammad Haider

Keyword(s):

Blot Hybridization ◽

Thalassemia Major ◽

Dot Blot ◽

Low Frequencies ◽

Kuwait University ◽

Alpha Thalassemia ◽

Oligonucleotide Hybridization ◽

Alpha Globin ◽

Allele Specific ◽

Kuwaiti Population

Abstract Background: The frequency of alpha thalassemia trait is about 40% in the Kuwaiti population, but there has been no comprehensive study of the prevalent alleles. This is a report of the patients who were referred for molecular diagnosis over a 20-year period. Methods: Blood samples from suspected cases were sent to the Hemoglobin Research Laboratory of the Department of Pediatrics, Kuwait University. A retrospective study of the molecular characterization of samples from 1994 to 2015 was carried out. The alpha globin genotypes were determined by a combination of PCR, allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization and reverse dot-blot hybridization (Vienna Lab Strip Assay). Results: 400 samples were characterized and analyzed from individuals aged <1 month to 80 years, with a median of 6 years (~60% children and adolescents). Most (90.8%) were Kuwaiti nationals. The common genotype was homozygosity for the polyadenylation-1 mutation (αPA-1α/α PA-1α) in 33.3%, followed by heterozygosity (αα/α PA-1α) for the same mutation in 32.3%. The PA-1 was therefore the most frequent allele (0.733). The frequency of the α0, –MED was 0.19. Rare alleles that were found in very low frequencies included the α0 (--FIL) in a Filipino child, Hb Constant Spring, Hb Adana,and Hb Icaria. Conclusion: There is a wide variety of alpha thalassemia alleles among Kuwaitis, but the nondeletional PA-1 is by far the most common cause of moderate to severe HbH disease phenotype. The α0 (–MED) allele is also encountered, which has implications for pre-marital counselling especially the possibility of having babies with alpha thalassemia major (Barts hydrops fetalis).

Download Full-text