Human embryonic zeta-globin chains in fetal and newborn blood.
A sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) for human embryonic zeta-globin chains was used to study normal fetal blood and newborn cord blood as well as cord blood from newborns with alpha-thalassemias. From 17 weeks until 37 weeks of gestation, zeta-globin chains were present in almost all fetal and cord blood samples (0.27% +/- 0.15% in samples of weeks 17 through 30; 0.14% +/- 0.11% in samples of weeks 31 through 37). zeta-Globin chains were present in greater than 80% of cord blood hemolysates from normal, full-term newborns (0.15% +/- 0.11%) as well as from 16 near-term newborns of diabetic mothers (0.13% +/- 0.13%). zeta-Globin chains were not detected in normal infants aged 3 months to 2 years. In cord blood hemolysates from alpha-thalassemic newborns, the levels of zeta-globin chain content varied from very high to undetectable levels. Gene mapping of the zeta-alpha-globin gene cluster was performed in 12 newborns in whom cord blood zeta-globin chains had been determined. Newborns who were carriers of alpha-thalassemia-1 due to the (--SEA/) deletion had very high levels of zeta-globin chains (greater than 1.5%).
Chui
D H
DH
Department of Pathology, McMaster University School of Medicine, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Mentzer
W C
WC
Patterson
M
M
Iarocci
T A
TA
Embury
S H
SH
Perrine
S P
SP
Mibashan
R S
RS
Higgs
D R
DR
D000375:Aging; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000032:analysis*; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005838:Genotype; D005914:Globins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006455:Hemoglobins, Abnormal / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn
D006455:Hemoglobins, Abnormal; D005914:Globins; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin; C030448:hemoglobin Bart's