Mohammad taher Hojjati - Laboratory Science research center, faculty of Para medicine, Golestan University of medical sciences, Gorgan, Iran
Azita Azarkeivan - Iranian Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Thalassemia Clinic, Tehran, Iran
AliAkbar Pourfathollah - General Director of Iranian Blood Transfusion Organisation, Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medical Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Naser Amirizadeh - High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Iranian Blood Transfusion organization, Tehran, Iran

Introduction: Use of HU among beta-thalassemia patients show different clinical outcomes and about 25% of patients do not response to this agent; the objective of this study was to evaluate the possible role of the expression of anti-oxidative genes in response to HU.Material and methods: For miRNAs and mRNAs, RT-PCR was done by using specific primer for each miRNA and random hexamers for mRNAs.Results: In responders, we observed a higher expression of Bcl-xl, Foxo3, ARG1, and miR-451 in comparison to non-Responders. for miR-144, We did not find any difference between the two groups.Conclusion: As Hu can induce production of HbF, activation of genes involved in the regulation of oxidative stress in responders may have a critical role in the survival of erythroid progenitors and maturation. So it can cause to increase Hb levels in responders in comparison to non-responders

Hydroxyurea, Oxidative stress, miR144/451, Foxo3, Bcl-xl, ARG1