Effect of Transferrin Absence on in Vitro Globin Chain Synthesis in Reticulocytes of β-Thalassemic Patients

Abstract

The effect of transferrin absence on in vitro globin chain synthesis and on the α;/β ratio were investigated in four patients with β-thalassemia intermedia and one heterozygote with “silent” β-thalassemia. With one exception the lack of transferrin in the incubation medium resulted in the reduction of the globin α/β ratio which paralleled a reduction in overall protein synthesis. In one patient with β-thalassemia intermedia, however, the absence of transferrin failed to affect this ratio.