<abstract xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Hearing impairment is a common sensori-neural disorder with the incidence of profound deafness in one per 1,000 births. Non syndromic recessive deafness (NSHL), accounts for approximately 80% of cases of hereditary deafness. It is extremely heterogeneous genetically with over 130 gene loci. Mutations in the <italic>GJB2</italic> and <italic>GJB6</italic> genes for DFNB1 locus (13q12) are responsible for about half of all cases of autosomal recessive prelingual hearing loss.We determined the prevalence and mutations in the <italic>GJB2</italic> gene, and the presence of delD13S1830 in the <italic>GJB6</italic> gene in DNA samples from 33 unrelated Macedonian families with recesive NSHL and 200 normal hearing individuals using single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis followed by direct sequencing and specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR).We found mutations in the <italic>GJB2</italic> gene in 12 patients, but no delD13S1830 in the <italic>GJB6</italic> gene. In 22 mutated chromosomes, 15 (68.2%) had the 35delG mutation, four (6.1%) W24X, two (3.0%) V37I and one (1.5%) R127H.Because of the high mutation rate (36.4%) in the <italic>GJB2</italic> gene in NSHL patients, testing should be performed in all cases with prelingual deafness.</abstract>

Hearing impairment is a common sensori-neural disorder with the incidence of profound deafness in one per 1,000 births. Non syndromic recessive deafness (NSHL), accounts for approximately 80% of cases of hereditary deafness. It is extremely heterogeneous genetically with over 130 gene loci. Mutations in the GJB2 and GJB6 genes for DFNB1 locus (13q12) are responsible for about half of all cases of autosomal recessive prelingual hearing loss.We determined the prevalence and mutations in the GJB2 gene, and the presence of delD13S1830 in the GJB6 gene in DNA samples from 33 unrelated Macedonian families with recesive NSHL and 200 normal hearing individuals using single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis followed by direct sequencing and specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR).We found mutations in the GJB2 gene in 12 patients, but no delD13S1830 in the GJB6 gene. In 22 mutated chromosomes, 15 (68.2%) had the 35delG mutation, four (6.1%) W24X, two (3.0%) V37I and one (1.5%) R127H.Because of the high mutation rate (36.4%) in the GJB2 gene in NSHL patients, testing should be performed in all cases with prelingual deafness.

GJB2 Mutations in Non Syndromic Hearing Loss in the Republic of Macedonia

Research Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Adrialab-Synlab, Polyclinic for Laboratory Medicine, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Association of Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Audiology center, Otorhinolaryngology Clinic, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Balkan Journal of Medical Genetics

{"article-title":"GJB2 Mutations in Non Syndromic Hearing Loss in the Republic of Macedonia"}

Hearing impairment is a common sensori-neural disorder with the incidence of profound deafness in one per 1,000 births. Non syndromic recessive deafness...

GJB2 Mutations in Non Syndromic Hearing Loss in the Republic of Macedonia

Published Online: Feb 19, 2010

Page range: 11 - 16

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10034-010-0004-x

Keywords
Deafness, Non syndromic hearing loss (NSHL), GJB2 Gene, Connexin 26, Mutations, 35delG

This content is open access.

GJB2 Mutations in Non Syndromic Hearing Loss in the Republic of Macedonia

Published Online: Feb 19, 2010

Page range: 11 - 16

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10034-010-0004-x

KeywordsDeafness, Non syndromic hearing loss (NSHL), GJB2 Gene, Connexin 26, Mutations, 35delG

This content is open access.

Keywords
Deafness, Non syndromic hearing loss (NSHL), GJB2 Gene, Connexin 26, Mutations, 35delG