Plasma levels of TGF-β1 in homeostasis of the inflammation in sickle cell disease

Abstract Sickle cell disease (SCD) represents a chronic inflammatory condition with complications triggered by the polymerization of hemoglobin S (Hb S), resulting in a series of cellular interactions mediated by inflammatory cytokines, as the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), which plays an important role in inflammation resolution. This study assessed the relation between SCD inflammation and the plasma concentration of TGF-β1, and also checked the influence of the presence of −509C/T polymorphism in TGFB1 gene on TGF-β1 plasma values. The plasma levels of TGF-β1 were quantified by ELISA in 115 patients with SCD (genotypes SS, SD-Los Angeles, Sβ-thalassemia and SC) and in 58 individuals with no hemoglobinopathies (Hb AA), as the control group. The −509C/T polymorphism in TGFB1 gene was screened by PCR-RFLP. The correlation between TGF-β1 plasma levels and the inflammation was based on its association with the count of platelets, total white blood cells (WBC) and neutrophils in the peripheral blood. Patients with SCD showed plasma levels of TGF-β1 higher than the control group, especially the Hb SS genotype, followed by the group with Hb SD. Polymorphism investigation showed no interference in the values obtained for the cytokine in the groups evaluated. All SCD groups showed TGF-β1 levels positively correlated to the platelets and WBC counts. The original data obtained in this study for SCD support the involvement of TGF-β1 in regulating of the inflammatory response and suggest that this marker possibly may become a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of the disease.