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Can beta thalassemia minor affect the relationship DNA test?

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Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I am beta thalassemia minor. If I go for a relationship DNA test with my son, will the DNA report be false due to this?

Answered by Dr. Prakash. H. M.

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Based on your query, my opinion is as follows:

  1. No, a relationship DNA test will not be affected.
  2. It is autosomal related. He may or may not be a carrier. A DNA test will look at multiple patterns.
  3. If you want, you can go for a DNA test. Being affected by thalassemia is not going to affect the test.

Patient's Query

Thank you doctor,

I have a few more doubts. Kindly clarify. If I want to go for a relationship DNA test with my son, will the test be done from white blood cells and not from RBC? Is a relationship DNA test always from WBC? For a beta thalassemia carrier, chromosome number 11 is affected and beta globulin of hemoglobin does not perform properly. If RBCs do not have DNA then how the chromosome is coming into the picture? If I go for a DNA test then the allele size of me and my son will be compared. In the case of beta thalassemia minor, the sizes of RBCs are smaller. Hence, will the allele sizes will also be smaller? I do not know whether my son is a carrier of beta thalassemia like me or not. In both cases, is there any chance that the allele size will be affected and I will not get a true DNA test report to establish a biological relationship with my son? In the case of beta-thalassemia carriers, only the red blood cells get affected. Would the DNA of RBC and WBC match? Can I go for a relationship DNA test being a beta thalassemia carrier? Will the test result appear correct whether my son is a carrier or not? Please clarify.

Answered by Dr. Prakash. H. M.

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

Based on your query, my opinion is as follows:

  1. RBC - red blood cell is an anucleate cell. While coming out of the bone marrow, it loses the nucleus, and hence, without a nucleus DNA test cannot be done.
  2. WBC (white blood cell) is the only blood cell, containing a nucleus. So, a DNA test can be done on that.
  3. An immature RBC while it was in the marrow is called a normoblast and this normoblast contains a nucleus. Every cell in the body has a nucleus to develop certain physiological characteristics.
  4. The RBC has developed the characteristics of thalassemia while it was a normoblast and when it is coming out of the marrow, it is mature and it loses the nucleus. By this point, chromosome 11, would have affected its characteristics and the cells will be smaller and hypochromic with features of thalassemia. During formation, they are affected.
  5. The RBCs are smaller because the RBC contains two components, heme, and globin. Thalassemia is a disorder of globin synthesis and hence as it is not synthesized, the RBC will be smaller. The alleles will be normal size only.
  6. As earlier told, thalassemia is a disorder of globin synthesis and it is exclusively found in RBC. Hence, WBC or platelets is not affected.
  7. Yes, if necessary you can go for a test. A child being a carrier or not cannot decide the relationship, as the particular gene or allele may not have been carried.
  8. If you were not a carrier (one gene affected) and a trait (both genes affected), then definitely one gene would have carried. Here you being a carrier, it may not have carried.
  9. The kid might or might not have inherited the carrier gene and hence he might be completely safe. However, this is not going to affect the DNA test in any way.

Answered byDr. Prakash. H. M.

Medically reviewed byiCliniq medical review team

Published At May 24, 2016
Reviewed AtApril 25, 2024

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Prakash. H. M.
Dr. Prakash. H. M.

Hematology

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