title: Association between polymorphisms in erythropoietin gene and upper limit haematocrit levels among regular blood donors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Erythropoietin (EPO) is a glycoprotein hormone that functions primarily on the stimulation and control of erythropoiesis in bone marrow. In this study, polymorphisms in EPO gene; C3434T, G3544T (rs551238) and rs1617640 were evaluated to determine their frequencies and genotype distribution patterns among blood donors with upper-limit haematocrit level.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 298 subjects, 181 blood donors with haematocrit level greater or equal to 48% and 117 donors with haematocrit between 42-47.5% as control were recruited. All subjects were genotyped for C3434T, rs551238 polymorphisms and for rs1617640 using restriction fragment length polymorphism method (PCR-RFLP) and sequencing techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant difference was found in rs1617640 and rs551238 genotype frequencies in blood donors with upper-haematocrit compared to the control group (P<0.05). In accordance with genotype frequencies, G allele in these two polymorphisms were found at higher frequency among upper-haematocrit group compared to the control (P<0.05). On the other hand, C3434T polymorphism was not significantly different between the two groups, neither for genotype frequencies nor for allele frequencies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest a strong association between rs551238 and rs1617640 polymorphisms in the EPO gene and upper-limit haematocrit level among blood donors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. khabour@just.edu.jo
authors.forename: O F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Khabour
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bani-Ahmad
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Hammash
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000235:genetics*; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D004921:Erythropoietin