title: The spectrum of α-thalassemia mutations in the Kurdish population of Northeastern Iraq.
abstract: In an attempt to determine the spectrum of α-thalassemia (α-thal) mutations in the Kurdish population of Northeastern (NE) Iraq, a total of 101 unrelated adults with unexplained hypochromia and/or microcytosis were enrolled. α-Thalasssemia mutations were characterized by gap polymerase chain reaction (gap-PCR), multiplex PCR (m-PCR) and reverse hybridization and sequencing for both α genes. A total of nine α-thal mutations were characterized including four deletional ones: -α(3.7) (rightward), - -(MED-I), -(α)(20.5), -α(4.2) (leftward) and five nondeletional ones: α(polyA1)α, αα(Adana), α(-5 nt)α, α(CS)α and α(polyA2)α. These determinants were arranged in 12 different genotypes, the most frequent of which were: -α(3.7)/αα, - -(MED-I)/αα, -α(3.7)/-α(3.7), α(polyA1)α/αα, αα(Adana)/αα and -(α)(20.5)/αα. This pattern is similar to that reported in Turkey, western (W) Iran, Cyprus and Greece, and to some extent, different from the pattern observed in the Arabian Peninsula.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Scientific Research Center, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Dohuk, Dohuk 1014AM, Iraq. nallawi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Nasir A S
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Al-Allawi
authors.forename: Sana D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Jalal
authors.forename: Najeeb S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Rasheed
authors.forename: Nooshin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bayat
authors.forename: Hashem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imanian
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Najmabadi
authors.forename: Azad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faraj
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D055542:alpha-Globins / Q000235:genetics*; D017085:alpha-Thalassemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D055542:alpha-Globins