title: Rare occurrence of Hb Lepore-Baltimore in African Americans: molecular characteristics and variations of Hb Lepores.
abstract: Hb Lepore is the hybrid hemoglobin (Hb) composed of two alpha-globin chains and two deltabeta hybrid chains and is associated with the clinical findings of thalassemia minor in its heterozygous form. Hb Lepore can be found in many ethnic groups, commonly in southern European countries, but rarely in African Americans. The first Hb Lepore case in an African-American individual was named Hb Lepore-The Bronx (Hb Lepore-Boston). Hb Lepore-Washington-Boston and Hb Lepore-Baltimore with a breakpoint of (delta50Ser/beta86Ala) were later reported. In this paper, we describe an Hb Lepore-Baltimore (delta68Leu/beta84Thr) deltabeta-fusion gene with a different breakpoint detected for the first time in an African-American female. We have used state-of-the-art technology, combining protein- and DNA-based methods, in the analysis of the hybrid hemoglobin and discuss its molecular characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Sean M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: McKeown
authors.forename: Harris
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Carmichael
authors.forename: Rhea-Beth
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Markowitz
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kutlar
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holley
authors.forename: Ferdane
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kutlar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D006455:Hemoglobins, Abnormal / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data
chemical_list: D006455:Hemoglobins, Abnormal; C031751:hemoglobin Lepore Boston