title: Mutation analysis of the carbohydrate sulfotransferase gene in Vietnamese with macular corneal dystrophy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mutations in a new carbohydrate sulfotransferase gene (CHST6) encoding corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (C-GlcNac-6-ST) have been identified as the cause of macular corneal dystrophy (MCD) in various ethnicities. This study was conducted to examine the CHST6 gene in Vietnamese with MCD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen unrelated families, including 35 patients and 38 unaffected relatives were examined clinically. Blood samples were collected. Fifty normal Vietnamese individuals served as control subjects. Genomic DNA was extracted from leukocytes. Analysis of the CHST6 gene was performed with polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing. Corneal buttons were studied histopathologically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A slit lamp examination revealed clinical features of MCD with gray-white opacities and stromal haze between. On histopathology, corneal sections showed positive staining with colloidal iron. Sequencing of the CHST6 gene revealed six homozygous and three compound heterozygous mutations. The homozygous mutations, including L59P, V66L, R211Q, W232X, Y268C, and 1067-1068ins(GGCCGTG) were detected, respectively, in two, one, eight, one, one, and two families. Compound heterozygous mutations R211Q/Q82X, S51L/Y268C, and Y268C/1067-1068ins(GGCCGTG) were identified, each in one family. A single heterozygous change at codon 76 (GTG-->ATG) was detected in family L, resulting in a valine-to-methionine substitution (V76M). None of these mutations was detected in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mutations identified in the CHST6 gene cosegregated with the disease phenotype in all but one family studied and thus caused MCD. Among these, the R211Q detected in 9 of 19 families may be the most common mutation in Vietnamese. These data also indicate that significant allelic heterogeneity exists for MCD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. hant02@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Nguyen Thanh
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Hoang Minh
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.forename: Le Xuan
authors.initials: le X
authors.lastname: Cung
authors.forename: Ton Kim
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Thanh
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujiki
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Yoshimune
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hiratsuka
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003315:Cornea / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D003317:Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D018740:Genetic Heterogeneity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D010375:Pedigree; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015238:Sulfotransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology; D000097811:Carbohydrate Sulfotransferases
chemical_list: D015238:Sulfotransferases; D000097811:Carbohydrate Sulfotransferases