Level of apoptosis in Saudi patients with a defect in Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is an enzyme responsible for the production of NADPH pathway. Mutation in G6PD gene results in abnormal functional and structural changes in red blood cells (RBCs). The aim of the current study is to compare the levels of apoptosis in Saudi people suffering from G6PD deficiency. Twenty samples from unrelated Saudi children and neonates between the ages of 1 month to 10 years were collected. Ten ml Blood samples were collected by venipuncture in EDTA tubes, and hematological parameters assessed using Coulter Counter Analyzer. MNC cells were isolated. Apoptotic leukocytes were determined and concentaration of IL-107 release was measured using the FACS machine. There was a significant increase in white blood cells (WBCs) count in G6PD deficiency group compared to healthy controls. Also, there was a sgnificant increase in the level of apoptosis observed in the freshly isolated RBCs obtained from G6PD deficiency patients. The findings may indicate that apoptosis of RBCs represents an important factor in the pathogenesis of G6PD.