title: Molecular basis and haematological characterization of beta-thalassaemia major in Taiwan, with a mutation of IVS-1 3' end TAG-->GAG in a Chinese patient.
abstract: We studied 41 patients with beta-thalassaemia major and their parents by using a combination of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, slot-blot hybridization of allele-specific oligonucleotide (ASO), and direct genomic sequencing. Eight different point mutations were characterized. C to T substitution at nucleotide (nt) 654 of intervening sequences (IVS) 2, accounting for 46.3% of mutant beta-globin genes, is the most common mutation in Taiwan, followed by frameshift codons 41/42 with four nucleotides (TCTT) deletion for 31.7%, A to G substitution at position -28 of promotor area for 8.5%, A to T substitution at codon 17 for 6.1%, frameshift codons 27/28 (insertion of C) for 2.4%, G to T substitution at nucleotide 1 of IVS-1 for 2.4%, frameshift codons 71/72 (insertion of A) and IVS-1 3 end TAG-->GAG for 1.2%. The former four mutations showed no obvious difference between two major ethnic groups in Taiwan. As to mutations in each individual of beta-thalassaemia major, the incidence of compound heterozygotes of two different mutations is much higher than homozygotes of single mutation, 78.0% v 22.0%. Compound heterozygotes of C to T substitution at nt 654 of IVS-2 and frameshift codons 41/42 with four nucleotides deletion is the most common pattern of beta-thalassaemia mutations in each individual (41.5%). The results are somewhat different from other documented reports concerning the mutations of beta-thalassaemia in southern China. This is the first report of mutation of IVS-1 3' end TAG-->GAG which causes consensus change in Chinese people. Patients with heterozygotes of beta zero and -28 beta(+)-thalassaemia mutations would have a greater delay in initial transfusion in comparison to patients with homozygotes of both beta zero-thalassaemia mutation, but their initial clinical manifestation might be aggravated when combined with a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency and an insult such as exposure to infection and certain drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical College Hospital, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013624:Taiwan; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D005914:Globins