Expression of α-hemoglobin stabilizing protein gene during human erythropoiesis

• Published in: Experimental hematology Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 157 - 162
• Main Authors: Oresco dos Santos, Camila, Duarte, Adriana S.S., Saad, Sara Teresinha Olalla, Costa, Fernando Ferreira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01-02-2004
• Subjects: Adenosine Triphosphate - physiology; Blood Proteins - genetics; Cell Differentiation; Cells, Cultured; Erythropoiesis; Gene Expression Regulation; Globins - genetics; Humans; Molecular Chaperones - genetics
• ISSN: 0301-472X; 1873-2399
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2003.11.002

α-Hemoglobin stabilizing protein (AHSP) is an abundant, erythroid-specific protein that forms a stable complex with free α-hemoglobin but not with β-hemoglobin or hemoglobin A. As such, AHSP is required for normal erythropoiesis, probably acting by blocking the deleterious effects of free α-hemoglobin precipitation. In order to study the levels of expression of the
AHSP gene during the different phases of erythropoiesis, we carried out a two-phase liquid culture of erythroid cells and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Blood from control volunteers was cultured with erythropoietin to stimulate differentiation. The different stages of erythropoiesis were confirmed by morphologic and flow cytometric analysis. The results showed a progressive increase in
AHSP gene expression following the expression of α-
globin gene, during maturation of the red blood cell precursors, confirming the probable important function of this protein during normal erythropoiesis.