Differential gene expression in erythroid progenitor cells from β-thalassaemia patients and healthy controls [BRB-ArrayTools analysis]

This study uses microarray technology to examine the erythroid progenitor mRNA of patients with transfusion dependent β-thalassaemia and compare it to erythroid progenitor mRNA from healthy controls. We observed no statistical difference in gene expression between the groups following 7 days in culture. However, following 14 days in culture we observed differential expression of 277 genes. Haematopoietic cells from the peripheral blood of 6 β-thalassaemia patients and 6 healthy controls was grown in semi-solid media. After 7 and 14 days in culture cells of erythroid origin were isolated. Total RNA was isolated from these for microarray gene expression analysis