Gene expression of HIF-1α and VEGF in response to hypoxia in sickle cell anaemia: Influence of hydroxycarbamide.
Alano M PedrosaRomélia Pinheiro Gonçalves LemesPublished in: British journal of haematology (2020)
Hypoxia and hemoglobin S polymerization are two triggers responsible for initiating erythrocyte sickling and the consequent clinical sickle cell anemia (SCA) events. The objective of this study was to investigate the expression of hypoxia-responsive genes in SCA, testing for correlation with the clinical-laboratorial characteristics of the patient and hydroxyurea therapy. Our results showed, for the first time, a significantly increased expression of HIF-1α and VEGF genes in patients with SCA and an inverse dose-response relationship with hydroxyurea therapy. These results suggest that hypoxic stress may be involved in both the severity of SCA and its response to treatment.