We generated a murine model of thalassemia intermedia specifically lacking BM <i>Tfr2</i>: because their erythroid cells are more susceptible to EPO stimulation, mice show improved erythropoiesis and red blood cell morphology as well as partial correction of anemia and iron overload.
We assessed the degree of iron overload in thalassemia intermedia and major patients by measuring hepatic iron concentration in liver biopsy samples and serum ferritin, estimated erythropoietic drive by assaying soluble transferrin receptor and serum erythropoietin levels and correlated these with urinary hepcidin measurements.