A study of polymorphism and the serum level of Haptoglobin of people suffering from sickle cell disease and/or hepatitis C

Background. Haptoglobin is a type of alpha2 globulin found in human plasma. Its primary function is to bind to the globin portion of free hemoglobin in the bloodstream. Objectives. To examine the genetic polymorphism of the Haptoglobin (Hp) gene in patients diagnosed with sickle cell anemia, hepatitis C, and the co-occurrence of sickle cell anemia and hepatitis C . Patients and methods. A total of 130 participants were categorized into several groups: 40 patients with sickle cell anemia, 40 patients with hepatitis C, 10 patients with both sickle cell anemia and hepatitis C, and 40 individuals in the control group. The DNA was extracted and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted using genotype-specific primers for the three areas of the haptoglobin gene. The genotypes were identified by running electrophoresis on agarose gels and calculating the proportion of each allele that was amplified. After obtaining the sequencing results of the haptoglobin gene and for the studied samples and for the three plots Hp2, Hp 1S and Hp 1F, Sequences for all three segments were registered in the NCBI Genome Bank for the first time locally and some were given independent accession numbers, and it will be considered a database for any future researcher working on the Hp genotypes in Iraq. Results. In Sickle cell Patient Hp1-1(0.13), Hp2-2(0.55), Hp2-1(0.32), Hepatitis-C Patient Hp1-1(0.13), Hp2-2(0.63), Hp2-1(0.24), Sickle cell with Hepatitis C Patient Hp1-1(0.20), Hp2-2(0.60), Hp2-1(0.20), and Control group Hp1-1 (0.30), Hp2-2 (0.50), Hp2-1 (0.20). Hp2-2 was the most common phenotype across all categories, The T allele and TT genotype seem more visible in sickle cell anemia and hepatitis diseases than the AA genotypes of Hp-2 643 T>, and no correlation between patients and health control group with Hp1S gene. Also, the present study reports that there is no correlation between patients of sickle cell anemia and health control group with Hp-1F 867 G > A gene, but the G allele and GG genotype more visible in hepatitis diseases than the AA genotypes of Hp-1F 867 G > A gene. Conclusions. The Hp2-2 haptoglobin phenotype was the most common among patients. Different groups may have an influence on the development of sickle cell anemia and hepatitis C.