Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress Status in Maternal Serum of β-thalassemic Mothers Carrying β-thalassemic Major and Normal Fetuses

Abstract

Objective

β-thalassemia is a genetic disorder characterized by reduction or absence of β-globin chain with mutations in both copies (β-thalassemia major) or in one copy (β-thalassemia minor). Pregnancies in β- thalassemic carrier women are considered symptom free but have risk of inheriting β-thalassemic fetuses. Current study was designed to compare oxidative stress and antioxidants status in maternal serum from β-thalassemic minor mothers having β-thalassemic major and normal fetuses. Method: We investigated paraoxonase (PON1) and arylesterase (ARE) activities along with malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in maternal serum of β-thalassemic carrier women. Results: PON1 and ARE activities were found to be significantly decreased, whereas the concentration of MDA and ROS were significantly increased in β-thalassemic minor mothers with β-thalassemic major fetuses. Conclusion: The study concludes that redox imbalance in β-thalassemic trait mothers carrying thalassemic fetuses is higher than in mothers carrying normal fetuses.

Keywords:

• Antioxidants
• maternal serum
• reactive oxygen species
• β-thalassemia

Acknowledgements

Authors wish to acknowledge participants of the study for their contribution.

Declaration of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Data availability statement

Data will be available on request.

Additional information

Funding

Authors are grateful to University of Karachi for partial funding of this project.