Investigations on the relative synthesis of globin chains in thalassaemia: a preliminary study in Malaysian subjects

Whole blood samples from patients with various forms of alpha- and beta- thalassaemia were incubated with 14C-Leucine to determine the relative rates of production of the alpha and beta chains by their reticulocytes. The labelled globin chains were fractionated by CM-Cellulose Chromatography in 8M Urea and the incorporated activity determined. The relative rates of synthesis of alpha and beta chains in some cases of alpha and beta- thalassaemia were established and the chain synthetic ratios were compared with similar ratios in normal individuals. The results show that it is possible to identify from the relative rates of in-vitro synthesis of the alpha and beta chains, the presence of the common thalassaemia slates in particular beta-thal trait, beta-thal homozygotes, Hb H disease and alpha0-thal trait. The presence of transfused blood does not affect the result. This study indicates that an abnormal alpha/beta chain synthesis ratio is useful in defining alpha and beta-thalassaemia variants.