MiR-144 expression levels correlate with antioxidant protein expression in HbSS mature erythrocytes. (A) Hemoglobin and (B) hematocrit levels correlated inversely with miR-144 expression in mature erythrocytes. (C) Eighteen HbSS samples were grouped into 2 groups based on miR-144 expression. (D) GCLC and (E) GCLM intracellular protein expression in mature erythrocytes were compared and shown as mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) for samples from each group (n = 5 in panel D, n = 4 in panel E). (F) HbSS erythrocytes (n = 8) expressed significantly decreased SOD activity compared with normal HbAA erythrocytes (n = 4). (G) MiR-144 expression in HbSS erythrocytes had a negative correlation with superoxide dismutase activity. Each HbSS sample miR-144 expression (fold relative to HbAA) is shown with corresponding SOD activity.