Scientific cooperation for the study of clinical, cellular and molecular alterations in the haemoglobinopathies and the understanding of the regulation of fetal haemoglobin

• Processo: 10/51459-5
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Data de Início da vigência: 01 de setembro de 2010
• Data de Término da vigência: 31 de agosto de 2012
• Área do conhecimento: Ciências da Saúde - Medicina - Clínica Médica
• Acordo de Cooperação: King's College London
• Pesquisador responsável: Nicola Amanda Conran Zorzetto
• Beneficiário: Nicola Amanda Conran Zorzetto
• Pesquisador Responsável no exterior: Swee Lay Thein
• Instituição Parceira no exterior: King's College London, Inglaterra
• Instituição Sede: Centro de Hematologia e Hemoterapia (HEMOCENTRO). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brasil
• Vinculado ao auxílio: 08/57441-0 - Alterações clínicas, celulares e moleculares nas hemoglobinopatias e em outras anemias hemolíticas hereditárias, AP.TEM
• Assunto(s): Hemoglobinopatias Anemia falciforme
• Palavra(s)-Chave do Pesquisador: Hemoglobinopathies | Sickle Cell Disease

Resumo

The inherited disorders of haemoglobin are probably the most prevalent monogenic disorders of mankind. Over the last decades, there has been significant progress in the elucidation of the molecular pathology of the diverse disturbances related to this protein, resulting in an enormous advance in the control and treatment of the diseases caused by these alterations. Results derived from studies of these alterations have been of great importance to our present understanding of several aspects of normal gene function, structure and regulation. Brazil presents a particular regional heterogeneity in the frequency of the haemoglobinopathies. Various studies carried out in different regions of Brazil have shown that the inherited disorders of the haemoglobins, especially of sickle cell disease (SCD) caused by the abnormal HbS, is particularly common in a large part of the Brazilian population. For example, in the state of São Paulo, approximately 8% of the individuals of African descent, and 1% of the general population are carriers of the 13s gene. A very preliminary estimate indicates that approximately 2000 cases of SCD due to homozygosity for HbS (HbSS) or compound heterozygosity with HbC (HbSC) and b thalassaemia (HbS/b thalassaemia) are born each year in Brazil. Over the last twenty years, our research group at the Haematology Centre, UNICAMP, has been regularly studying several aspects of inherited haemoglobin abnormalities in the Brazilian population. UNICAMP's scientific environment facilitates, and is conducive for a comprehensive translational study in SCD - there is a large patient cohort that is regularly followed up, supported by up to date laboratory facilities including protein and nucleic acid analyses. The close relationship between clinicians and laboratory scientists has led to development of a large number of studies involving the association of both clinical and laboratory aspects. The group has also been involved in furthering the understanding of some of the molecular and cellular alterations that may be involved in the pathophysiology of diseases such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia. (AU)