Further identification of the hyperunstable alpha-globin chain variant Hb Heraklion [codons 36/37 (-CCC); Pro-->0 (alpha1)] in Greek cases with co-inherited alpha+-thalassemia mutations.
We report four Greek cases (from three unrelated families), who all had a similar atypical thalassemia intermedia phenotype, characterized by chronic moderate anemia, mild hemolysis and splenomegaly in the absence of abnormal hemoglobin (Hb) fractions. In all four cases (two unrelated children and two siblings), DNA analysis identified common alpha(+)-thalassemia (alpha(+)-thal) mutations in trans to the in frame 3 bp deletion (-CCC) on the alpha1-globin gene between codons 36 and 37, which has previously been reported as Hb Heraklion in a single Greek case. Clinical, hematological and biochemical findings in all cases, including a follow-up evaluation of the original case, are described. All the cases originated from the Greek island of Crete.
Douna
Varvara
V
Hematology Laboratory, P and A Kyriakou Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Papassotiriou
Ioannis
I
Metaxotou-Mavrommati
Anna
A
Stamoulakatou
Alexandra
A
Liapi
Dimitra
D
Kampourakis
Dimitrios
D
Tsilimigaki
Amalia
A
Kanavakis
Emmanuel
E
Traeger-Synodinos
Joanne
J
D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006455:Hemoglobins, Abnormal / Q000235:genetics*; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D013163:Splenomegaly; D017085:alpha-Thalassemia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
D006455:Hemoglobins, Abnormal; C531464:hemoglobin Heraklion