History of Sickle Cell Anemia
Disclaimer: Not medical or professional advice. Always seek the advice of your physician.
Sickle cell anemia originated in Africa as a defense mechanism against malaria, a life-threatening disease.
What is the Relationship Between Malaria and SCA?
Malaria is an infectious disease that depends on certain climatic conditions, such as high temperature and humidity. The causative agent of malaria is Plasmodium protozoa parasites, which are spread by the bite of female mosquitoes.
The inspection of the global incidence map of malaria shows that some areas with a suitable climate for malaria transmission have lower rates of infection. This results from the presence of specific genetic variants that confer resistance to this disease. Malaria parasites have exerted evolutionary pressure on human populations living in tropical and sub-tropical regions and caused genetic mutations.
Since Plasmodium parasites infect red blood cells (erythrocytes), alterations to genes responsible for RBC function can protect against invasion or replication of pathogens. However, in addition to increasing resistance to malaria, these changes cause the incidence of diseases like sickle cell anemia. SCA is characterized by a deformity of the red blood cells into sickle-like shapes due to a mutation in hemoglobin. It is these structural and morphological changes in cells that prevent the reproduction of Plasmodium parasites and create resistance to malaria. But there are pros and cons to having such genetic changes.
People with SCA suffer from fatigue, pain, viral infections, and other complications of anemia.
Milestones in Sickle Cell Anemia Research
It is estimated that the sickle cell gene has been present in Africa for about 7,000 years.
Walter Clement Noel, a medical student from Grenada studying in Chicago, was the first patient diagnosed with SCA. After suffering another pain episode, Noel sought medical help at the district hospital and was evaluated by Dr. Ernest Irons (an intern of the renowned cardiologist Dr. James Herrick). Dr. Irons performed a microscopic examination of Noel's blood and discovered sickle-shaped red blood cells. Later, Dr. Herrick published the first article called "Peculiar elongated and sickle-shaped red blood corpuscles in a case of severe anemia."
- In 1949, Linus Pauling and his collaborators published "Sickle Cell Anemia, a Molecular Disease" in the journal Science.
- In 1956, Dr. Vernon Ingram and Dr. J. A. Hunt found that a single amino acid substitution was the major cause of changes in the shape of red blood cells and abnormal hemoglobin in sickle cell anemia. This research played a crucial role in the development of molecular biology.
- In 1983, sickle cell anemia was successfully treated for the first time. A bone marrow transplant performed to treat a child with leukemia cured the child’s sickle cell anemia.
Sickle Cell Anemia Clinical Trials
Visionaries Clinical Research is currently recruiting volunteers to participate in Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an investigational drug in patients with sickle cell anemia. This study will include patients aged between 18 and 65 years (inclusive).
Interested in participating in a clinical trial?