Evaluation of gal-9 Gene Expression and its Impact in some Apoptotic Proteins (Cas3,7) Levels in Patients with Beta Thalassemia Major

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the genetic relationship of affected samples with healthy controls.

Study Design: Case-control study Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Al Kut Hospital for Women and Children, Iraq from 
1st November 2023 to 29th February 2024.

Methods: There were 74 children in patient’s group and 40 children in control group. Patients and the healthy control group were between the ages of 21 and 30. The hospital's consulting physician has made a clinical diagnosis of the illness. Five milliliters of blood were separated into two tubes: three milliliters in a plain tube for the ELISA test and three milliliters in EDTA tubes for molecular analysis. Molecular and serological analyses were carried out using quantitative real-time PCR and ELISA techniques, respectively.

Results: There were 38 (51.35%) males and the 36(48.65%) females in patients group while in control group, there were 25 males and 15 females. The largest group of patients between 10-20 years, 38 (51.35%), followed by those between 21-30 years, 15 (20.27%). The ELISA assay revealed there is no significant rise in cas-3 (976.93±55.58 pg/ml) and control group (945.87 ±92.57pg/ml). Whereas there was a significant decrease in levels of Cas
7(2267.90±315.56pg/ml) compared to healthy control group (2267.90±315.56pg/ml). The gal-9 gene expression was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR, which revealed a substantial (P≤0.05) drop in patient expression (0.0054 ±0.0004) as compared to the control, which recorded 1.00±0.00 fold.

Conclusion: The decreased level of galectin-9 production suggested there are many mutations in gal-9 gene this 
reflects in increased levels of Cas3 and Cas7 in patients with beta thalassemia major.