Lucian Gavrila

An Electronic Infrastructure for Research and Treatment of the Thalassemias and Other Hemoglobinopathies: The Euro-Mediterranean Ithanet Project

Hemoglobin (Hb) disorders are common, potentially lethal monogenic diseases, posing a global health challenge. With worldwide migration and intermixing of carriers, demanding flexible health planning and patient care, hemoglobinopathies may serve as a paradigm for the use of electronic infrastructure tools in the collection of data, the dissemination of knowledge, the harmonization of treatment, and the coordination of research and preventive programs. ITHANET, a network covering thalassemias and other hemoglobinopathies, comprises 26 organizations from 16 countries, including non-European countries of origin for these diseases (Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Tunisia and Turkey). Using electronic infrastructure tools, ITHANET aims to strengthen cross-border communication and data transfer, cooperative research and treatment of thalassemia, and to improve support and information of those affected by hemoglobinopathies. Moreover, the consortium has established the ITHANET Portal, a novel web-based instrument for the dissemination of information on hemoglobinopathies to researchers, clinicians and patients. The ITHANET Portal is a growing public resource, providing forums for discussion and research coordination, and giving access to courses and databases organized by ITHANET partners. Already a popular repository for diagnostic protocols and news related to hemoglobinopathies, the ITHANET Portal also provides a searchable, extendable database of thalassemia mutations and associated background information. The experience of ITHANET is exemplary for a consortium bringing together disparate organizations from heterogeneous partner countries to face a common health challenge. The ITHANET Portal as a web-based tool born out of this experience amends some of the problems encountered and facilitates education and international exchange of data and expertise for hemoglobinopathies.

β-Thalassemia Haplotypes in Romania in the Context of Genetic Mixing in the Mediterranean Area.

Abstract The purpose of this meta-study was to investigate β-thalassemia (β-thal) mutations and their chromosomal background in order to highlight the origin and spread of thalassemia alleles in the European and Mediterranean areas. Screening of more than 100 new Romanian β-thal alleles was also conducted. The results suggest an ancient introduction of mutations at codon 39 (C > T) (HBB: c.118C > T) and IVS-I-6 (T > C) (HBB: c.92 + 6T > C) in Romania. A comparative study was performed based on restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) haplotypes associated with β-thal mutations in Romania and in Mediterranean countries. Each common β-thal allele from different populations exhibits a high degree of haplotype similarity, a sign of a clear unicentric origin for the IVS-I-110 (G > A) (HBB: c.93-21G > A), IVS-I-6, IVS-II-745 (C > G) (HBB: c.316-106C > G) and codon 39 mutations (the 17a [+ − − − − + +], 13c [ − + + − − − +], 17c [ + − − − − − +] and 14a [− + + − + + + ] ancestral RFLP background, respectively), followed by recurrent recombination events. This study also showed that geographic distances played a major role in shaping the spread of the predominant β-thal alleles, whereas no genetic boundaries were detected between broad groups of populations living in the Middle East, Europe and North Africa. The analyses revealed some discrepancies concerning Morocco and Serbia, which suggest some peculiar genetic flows. Marked variations in βA were observed between Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean, whereas a relative genetic homogeneity was found around the Mediterranean Basin. This homogeneity is undoubtedly the result of the high level of specific historic human migrations that occurred in this area.

Comparative study of primary and secondary tumors from patients with laryngeal and oropharyngeal cancer, using transmission electron microscopy

In modern laboratories, the study of cancer is performed using a series of cellular and molecular methods based on optical instruments measurements. Optical and electron microscopy are valuable tools for revealing morphological features of cancer cells. Our study was focused on laryngeal and oropharyngeal cancers, which have nowadays an increased incidence, especially for women, due to unhealthy habits like tobacco and alcohol consumption. We used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for highlighting the ultrastructural features of cancer cells, both in primary and secondary tumors. The primary tumor is considered that which appears for the first time, at a certain organ; the secondary tumor is that which reappears at the same region or neighbouring regions, at a certain interval of time after the primary one has been surgically removed. The differences between the inner architecture of the cells from primary and secondary tumors where correlated with the expression of some genes (oncogenes and tumor suppressor factors), in order to establish the aggressiveness of the tumor, in different disease stages. The main stress in the study is placed upon electron microscopy, in order to achieve a more precise characterization of both these type of cancer cells. These ultrastructural data complete the image of laryngeal and pharyngeal cancer cells, along with molecular data obtained by Real-Time PCR.