fa خون شناسی و بانک خون Hematology & Blood Banking پژوهشي Research <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><strong>Background and Aims:</strong> Iron overload is one of the effects of frequent transfusion in beta-thalassemia major (BTM) patients. Osteopenia and osteoporosis are the secondary complications of frequent transfusion due to toxic effects of iron on osteoblasts. Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) is a secreted protein which plays an important role in the development of osteoporosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between DKK-1 protein and iron overload in BTM patients.<br> <strong>Materials and Methods: </strong>Fifty BTM patients and fifty healthy individuals participated in this case-control study. Each group </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">were</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> similar in terms of age and gender. We evaluated serum levels of DKK-1 and ferritin by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry method was used to evaluate patients bone density. Complete blood count and osteoporosis parameters <u>(</u>densitometry test results) were checked in both groups.<br> <strong>Results:</strong> The mean age of BMT patients was 25.82 years (24 male/26 female); it was 26.98 years (25 male/25 female) in </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">control</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> group. Significantly, the serum level of DKK-1 was higher in BTM samples (p<0.001). Mean of DKK-1 was 34447.1 pg/ml in patients, and 15252.0 pg/ml in controls. Mean of serum ferritin was 3808.6 ng/ml and 73.9 ng/ml in both groups, respectively. A significant association was found between DKK1, ferritin and osteoporosis parameters (p<0.001).<br> <strong>Conclusions: </strong>Probably, DKK-1 protein plays a significant role in the development and intensification of osteoporosis in BTM patients; it can be used as an applicable factor for </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">early</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> diagnosis of osteoporosis and follow-up in adult BTM patients.&nbsp;</span> Beta-thalassemia major, Dickkopf-1, Ferritin 188 194 http://ijml.ssu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-59&slc_lang=fa&sid=1 Zahra Badiee No Department of Pediatric Hematology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Mahdieh Sepasizang abadi No Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Aref Keshavarzi No Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Mohammad Reza Keramati No Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Hossein Ayatollahi No Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Mohammad Hadi Sadeghian Yes Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Seyyede Fatemeh Shams No Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Sepideh Shakeri No Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran