{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T09:23:49Z","timestamp":1787217829763,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"Pensoft Publishers","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787184000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["FM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    <jats:bold>Abstract<\/jats:bold>\n                  <\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    <jats:bold>Introduction<\/jats:bold>\n                    : Major \u03b2-thalassemia is a severe hereditary anemia caused by defective \u03b2-globin production and characterized by a permanent transfusion requirement, which leads to an overload of systemic iron and subsequent liver dysfunction. MicroRNA-451 (miR-451) is an erythroid-specific microRNA that plays a critical role in erythropoiesis, oxidative stress regulation, and iron metabolism. Nevertheless, there is still insufficient research on the connection between \u03b2-thalassemia major and liver function.\n                  <\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    <jats:bold>Aim<\/jats:bold>\n                    : The study aimed to evaluate the expression of miR-451 in Iraqi patients with \u03b2-thalassemia major and correlate it with liver function parameters.\n                  <\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    <jats:bold>Materials and methods<\/jats:bold>\n                    : This case-control study involved 50 patients diagnosed with \u03b2-thalassemia major and 50 healthy individuals serving as controls. Total RNA was extracted from whole blood samples, and the expression levels of miR-451 were quantified using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). U6 small nuclear RNA was utilized as the endogenous control for normalization. Hematological indices and liver function parameters, specifically ALT, AST, and total serum bilirubin, were assessed and analyzed statistically.\n                  <\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    <jats:bold>Results<\/jats:bold>\n                    : The expression of miR-451 was upregulated significantly in patients in comparison with the controls (\u2248260-fold increase). The patients had significantly lower levels of hemoglobin and elevated platelet counts (\n                    <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u22640.05). The liver enzymes, ALT and AST, and the total serum bilirubin were significantly increased in the patient group (\n                    <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u22640.01). This study found a positive association between the overexpression of miR-451 and hepatic dysfunction markers.\n                  <\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    <jats:bold>Conclusion<\/jats:bold>\n                    : In \u03b2-thalassemia major, miR-451 is significantly upregulated, suggesting it could be a biomarker for disease severity and liver function.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3897\/folmed.68.e177504","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T08:26:07Z","timestamp":1787214367000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Analysis of microRNA-451 gene expression and its association with liver function tests in \u03b2-thalassemia major"],"prefix":"10.3897","volume":"68","author":[{"given":"Sanaa Jasim","family":"Kadhim","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology for Postgraduate Studies, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Doaa Abood","family":"Khamis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology for Postgraduate Studies, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hamsa Ahmed","family":"Jasim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology for Postgraduate Studies, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2258","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"177504_B1","unstructured":"Jasim MS, Hasan BQ. The role of hepcidin gene polymorphism (rs10421768 A\u02c3G and rs1173345431C>T) on \u03b2-thalassemia major in Iraqi patients. Iraqi J Biotechnol 2024;23(3):100\u201314."},{"key":"177504_B2","unstructured":"Adnan Khalaf M, Hasan ABQ, Qassim Mohammed H, et al. Alpha-hemoglobin stabilizing protein gene polymorphism (rs4499252 A\/G) and its association with beta-thalassemia major in Iraqi patients. Arch Razi Inst 2022;77(3):1033\u20139."},{"key":"177504_B3","unstructured":"Mohammed SJ, Al-Lami F, Hussein MQ. Electrocardiographic changes among beta-thalassemic major patients in Ibn Al-Baladi thalassemia center-Baghdad. AL-Kindy Coll Med J 2013;9(1):36\u201341."},{"key":"177504_B4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zainal IG, AL-Shaikle MK, Kadim SAA. A study of some biochemical parameters in patients with \u03b2- thalassemia. Baghdad Sci J 2008; 5(3):416\u201322.","DOI":"10.21123\/bsj.2008.5.3.416-422"},{"key":"177504_B5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jawad Kadhim A, Dhafir El-Yaseen H, Mohammed Jawad A. Correlation of Klotho protein with troponin-i as a marker of myocardial damage in Iraqi beta-thalassemia major patients. Rep Biochem Mol Biol 2024;13(2):154\u20138.","DOI":"10.61186\/rbmb.13.2.154"},{"key":"177504_B6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Li M, Tang Y, Wu L, et al. The hepatocyte-specific HNF4\u03b1\/miR-122 pathway contributes to iron overload-mediated hepatic inflammation. Blood 2017;130(8):1041\u201351.","DOI":"10.1182\/blood-2016-12-755967"},{"key":"177504_B7","unstructured":"Ahmed HM, Georgy DB, Meabed MH, et al. The association between plasma microRNA-451 expression levels and chronic kidney disease in children with \u03b2-thalassemia major. Iran J Kidney Dis 2022;16(3):188\u201394."},{"key":"177504_B8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Keith J, Christakopoulos GE, Fernandez AG, et al. Loss of miR-144\/451 alleviates \u03b2-thalassemia by stimulating ULK1-mediated autophagy of free \u03b1-globin. Blood 2023;142(10):918\u201332.","DOI":"10.1182\/blood.2022017265"},{"key":"177504_B9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Abdulameer H, Kandala NJ. Evaluation of plasma-microRNA320 level among colorectal cancer Iraqi patients. Iraqi J Sci 2023;64(3):1142\u201350.","DOI":"10.24996\/ijs.2023.64.3.10"},{"key":"177504_B10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang F, Ling L, Yu D. MicroRNAs in \u03b2-thalassemia. Am J Med Sci 2021;362(1):5\u201312.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amjms.2021.02.011"},{"key":"177504_B11","unstructured":"Obeidi N, Pourfathollah AA, Soleimani M, et al. The effect of Mir-451 upregulation on erythroid lineage differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells. Cell J 2016;18(2):165\u201378."},{"key":"177504_B12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Talib EQ, Taha GI. Involvement of interlukin-17A (IL-17A) gene polymorphism and interlukin-23 (IL-23) level in the development of peri-implantitis. BDJ Open 2024;10:12.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41405-024-00193-9"},{"key":"177504_B13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ling L, Wang F, Li Y, et al. Depletion of miR-144\/451 alleviates anemia in \u03b2-thalassemic mice. Blood Adv 2024;8(10):2565\u201370.","DOI":"10.1182\/bloodadvances.2022008757"},{"key":"177504_B14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Leecharoenkiat K, Tanaka Y, Harada Y, et al. Plasma microRNA-451 as a novel hemolytic marker for \u03b20-thalassemia\/HbE disease. Mol Med Rep 2017;15(5):2495\u2013502.","DOI":"10.3892\/mmr.2017.6326"},{"key":"177504_B15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Taha GI, Talib EQ, Abed FB, et al. A review of microbial pathogens and diagnostic techniques in children\u2019s oral health. Sri Lanka J Child Health 2024;53(4).","DOI":"10.4038\/sljch.v53i4.11043"},{"key":"177504_B16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Svasti S, Masaki S, Penglong T, et al. Expression of microRNA-451 in normal and thalassemic erythropoiesis. Ann Hematol 2010;89(10):953\u20138.","DOI":"10.1007\/s00277-010-0980-7"},{"key":"177504_B17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Abdulhassn ML, Al-Khafaji HMAH, Mohammed MQ. Assessment of the TGF-\u03b2 gene and its target miR-1908-5p gene expression and its role in the treatment of beta-thalassemia in Iraqi patients. Iraqi J Hematol 2025;14:101\u20138.","DOI":"10.4103\/ijh.ijh_82_24"},{"key":"177504_B18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Faris AZ, Sadoon HA, Qasim MM, et al. The role of CD279 and CD274 gene polymorphisms in Iraqi patients with multiple sclerosis by using real-time qPCR HRM technique. 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Gene Rep 2025;39:102214.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.genrep.2025.102214"},{"key":"177504_B22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hassain AS, Al-Khafaji HMAH, Mohammed MQ. The role of miRNA-4516 in regulating Bruton\u2019s tyrosine kinase expression and colorectal cancer progression in a sample of Iraqi population. J Biol Res 2025;98:12987.","DOI":"10.4081\/jbr.2025.12987"},{"key":"177504_B23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Al-Kafagi HMAA, Hussein NNA, Mohammed MQ, et al. The correlation between gene expression of growth differentiation factor 9B (GDF9B) gene and miR-378-5p in infertile women. Iraqi J Sci 2025;66(4):1560\u20139.","DOI":"10.24996\/ijs.2025.66.4.15"},{"key":"177504_B24","unstructured":"Statistical Analysis System. Version 9.6. Cary, NC, USA: SAS Institute Inc.; 2018."},{"key":"177504_B25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cappellini MD, Viprakasit V, Taher AT, et al. 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