Exploring the Role of circ-0008102 as a Circulating RNA Biomarker for Early Detection of Hypothyroidism in Beta-Thalassemia Major | ||
| Zagazig University Medical Journal | ||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 18 November 2025 | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/zumj.2025.433622.4264 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Nearmeen Rashad* 1; Nahawand Ahmed El-Deeb2; Ahmed A. Zaghlol3; Mai M. Eldaly4; Heba Salah Gomaa5; Amira M. El-Helaly6; Maha Mahmoud Hamed Sakr7 | ||
| 1Diabetes and Endocrine Unit -Internal Medicin Departement -Zagazig University | ||
| 2Colleague of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University | ||
| 3Internal medicine Department, Zagazig university | ||
| 4Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of medicine, Zagazig university | ||
| 5Medical Physiology Department | ||
| 6Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University | ||
| 7Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Background: β-thalassemia is a common inherited hemoglobinopathy frequently complicated by iron overload and endocrine dysfunction, particularly hypothyroidism. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as stable, noncoding RNAs with potential as biomarkers. This study investigated the expression of circ-0008102 in β-thalassemia patients, its relation to thyroid dysfunction, and its diagnostic utility. Methods: We enrolled 40 β-thalassemia patients and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Clinical, biochemical, and hematological data were collected. Serum circ-0008102 expression was quantified, and patients were stratified into euthyroid (n=27) and hypothyroid (n=13) subgroups. Circ-0008102 expression was estimated by Real-time PCR Results: Circ-0008102 expression was significantly higher in patients compared with controls (2.86 ± 0.70 vs. 0.97 ± 0.16; p < 0.001) and in hypothyroid versus euthyroid patients (3.76 ± 0.18 vs. 2.43 ± 0.34; p < 0.001). Circ-0008102 correlated positively with WBCs, serum ferritin, thalassemia duration, compliance with chelation, and TSH ( , and negatively with hemoglobin, platelet count, and FT4 , p < 0.001. In regression analysis, ferritin and platelet count were independent predictors of circ-0008102. ROC analysis demonstrated excellent discrimination between patients and controls, and fair discrimination between hypothyroid and euthyroid patients. Conclusion: Circ-0008102 is significantly upregulated in β-thalassemia in particular patients with hypothyroidism and strongly correlates with markers of disease severity and iron overload. Circ-0008102 may represent a promising noninvasive biomarker in the hematologic and endocrine evaluation of β-thalassemia patients. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| β-thalassemia; circular RNA; biomarker; iron overload; hypothyroidism | ||
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