thalidomide is more efficient than sodium butyrate in enhancing gata-1 and eklf gene expression in erythroid progenitors derived from hscs with β-globin gene mutation

background: efficient induction of fetal hemoglobin (hbf) is considered as an effective therapeutic approach in beta thalassemia. hbf inducer agents can induce the expression of γ-globin gene and produce high levels of hbf via different epigenetic and molecular mechanisms. thalidomide and sodium butyrate are known as hbf inducer drugs. material and methods : cd133 + stem cells were isolated from umbilical cord blood of a newborn with minor β-thalassemia in order to evaluate the effects of these two drugs on the in vitro expression of gata-1 and eklf genes as erythroid transcription factors. cd133 + stem cells were expanded and differentiated into erythroid lineage, and then treated with thalidomide and sodium butyrate and finally analyzed by quantitative real-time pcr. statistical analysis was performed using student’s t-test by spss software. results : thalidomide and sodium butyrate increased gata-1 and eklf gene expression, compared to the non-treated control (p<0.05). conclusion : thalidomide was more efficient than sodium butyrate in augmenting expression of gata-1 and eklf genes. it seems that gata-1 and eklf have crucial roles in the efficient induction of hbf by thalidomide.