Serum Bcl-2 Levels in Patients with β-Thalassemia Minor: A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE Anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL may play a role in the survival of erythroid progenitor cells. Information about these proteins in patients with β-thalassemia minor is limited. We aimed to determine the levels of serum Bcl-2 in patients with β-thalassemia minor. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ninety-seven patients (60 females and 37 males with mean age of 29±21 years) with β-thalassemia minor were enrolled in this study. The diagnosis of β-thalassemia minor was based on whole blood counts, family history, and HbA2 levels estimated by high-performance liquid chromatography. The control group comprised 23 healthy adults (17 females and 6 males with mean age of 58±9 years) without anemia. The levels of serum Bcl-2 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Mann-Whitney U tests were used in statistical evaluation and p<0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. RESULTS Although there was no statistically significant difference between patients with β-thalassemia minor and the control group for the level of serum Bcl-2 (p>0.05), these levels were higher in β-thalassemia minor patients than controls. CONCLUSION There are damaged beta chains in β-thalassemia minor. Therefore, it is expected that premature death of red blood cells may occur due to apoptosis. The mean age of the control group was higher than that of the β-thalassemia minor group; this may be why Bcl-2 levels were higher in the β-thalassemia minor group. It is known that older age constitutes a risk for increased apoptosis. Other proteins (Bad, Bax, etc.) and pathways [CD95 (Fas) ligand] associated with apoptosis should be evaluated in future studies including more patients.