Avicenna J Med Biotech arij002 Avicenna Journal of Medical Biotechnology 2008-2835 2008-4625 Avicenna Research Institute ajmb291 Retraction: The Frequency and Importance of Common α-globin Gene Deletions Among β-Thalassemia Carriers in an Iranian Population MoosaviAzamDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IranM. ArdekaniAliReproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR , Tehran, Iran 9 4 196 200 27 8 2016 28 12 2016

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">Background:</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> &beta;</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">-thalassemia&nbsp;is the most common monogenic disorder in Iran, and one of the challenges in the screening of the carriers is the coinheritance of </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">&alpha;</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">-thalassemia mutations. In the view of high prevalence of </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">&alpha;</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">-thalassemia mutations in many parts of the country, the aim of this study was to determine the carrier frequency&nbsp;of common alpha deletions, as a secondary modifier in clinical manifestations of beta thalassemia, in known beta-thalassemia carriers and some hematology parameter changes. </span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">Methods:</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> The study included families referred from different primary health care centers with microcytic hypochromic anemia [MCV&lt;80fl; MCH&lt;27 <em>pg</em>]&nbsp;and&nbsp;A2&gt;3.4%]. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes by salting out method. For common </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">&beta;</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">-globin gene mutation analysis, amplification refractory mutation system- polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) and for rare </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">&beta;</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">-thal alleles, DNA sequencing were used. Also, for investigation of common </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">&alpha;</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">-globin gene cluster deletions (-</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">&alpha;</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">3.7, -</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">&alpha;</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">4.2, --MED and -</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">&alpha;</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">20.5), multiplex Gap-PCR was performed.</span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">Results:</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> Among 227 </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">&beta;</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">-thalassemia minor individuals studied, </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">&alpha;</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">-globin gene deletions were found in 43 cases:&nbsp;37 heterozygote&nbsp;-</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">&alpha;</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">3.7 (16.3%), 5 homo -</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">&alpha;</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">3.7 (2.2%) and 1 --MED (0.44%). Also, </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">the co-inheritance of </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">&alpha;-globin gene deletion and triplication was not found in the studied individuals.</span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size:9.5pt">Conclusion:</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> Although it is highly recommended that physicians and genetic counselors involved in the screening program of beta-thal major in the country consider this phenomenon because of high prevalence of this coinheritance, hematologic indices changes are very slight.</span></p>