Identification of two rare ß-globin gene mutations in a patient with ß-thalassemia intermedia from Azerbaijan.

ß-Thalassemias are an inherited group of disorders of hemoglobin (Hb) and comprise the most common monogenic disorders in Azerbaijan. They are extremely heterogeneous at the molecular level. Here we report the first identification of a patient who is a compound heterozygote for two rare ß-thalassemia (ß-thal) mutations, IVS-I-130 (G>C) and codon 37 (TGG>TGA).

Hb Sarrebourg [ß131(H9)Gln→Arg, CAG>CGG] in Turkey.

We describe Hb Sarrebourg [ß131(H9)Gln→Arg, CAG>CGG] in four heterozygous members of a Turkish family. It was associated with iron deficiency in the proband.

Prenatal diagnosis of sickle cell anemia and beta-thalassemia in southern Turkey.

Hemoglobinopathies are the most common genetic diseases in Turkey. The incidence of sickle cell trait is 10.0% and beta-thalassemia (beta-thal) trait is 3.7% in the Cukurova region of southern Turkey. Sickle cell anemia is prevalent in the Cukurova region, but beta-thal is seen all over the country. A prenatal diagnosis center was established in 1992 at Adana, Turkey, for the prevention of sickle cell anemia and beta-thal. Fifteen hundred and seventy-five fetuses were examined at the Cukurova University Hospital, Adana, Turkey. Three hundred and eighty-six fetuses were diagnosed as homozygous or compound heterozygous for sickle cell anemia and beta-thal. A total of 15 different beta-thal mutations were characterized in the parents. The incidence of the IVS-I-110 (G > A) mutation accounted for about 50.0% of the parents with beta-thal trait. Twenty-four different genotypes were observed in this study. A total of 286 fetuses were diagnosed with homozygous sickle cell disease, 57 fetuses were beta-thal homozygotes, 25 fetuses were compound heterozygotes with Hb S [beta6(A3)Glu-->Val, GAG > GTG], and 18 of the fetuses were double heterozygotes for beta-thal mutations.

Investigation of the mutation points and effects of some drugs on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient people in the Erzurum region.

We have carried out a systematic study of the molecular basis of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency on three samples of 1,183 children aged 0.5-6 years from Erzurum, in eastern Anatolia. Total genomic DNAs were isolated from the blood samples of a healthy person and the three persons determined with G6PD deficiency by examining the enzyme activity and hemoglobin ratio. Then PCR amplification of the entire coding region in eight fragments was carried out followed by Agarose gel electrophoresis. The 540-bp PCR fragment containing exons VI-VII and the 550bp PCR fragment containing exons XI-XIII were digested with EcoRI and with NIaIII, respectively. SSCP techniques for eight fragments (exons II, III-IV, V, VI-VII, VIII, IX, X, and XI-XIII) were employed to determine the mutations on the exons of the G6PD gene. A mutation occurred on the region of the exons 6 and 7 of one person (person-1) and exon 5 of two G6PD-deficient persons (person 2 and 3) examined. The sequential approach described is fast and efficient and could be applied to other populations. Effects of analgesic drugs on G6PD were studied on the purified enzyme (ammonium fractionation, dialysis and 2',5' ADP-Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography) for the healthy person and G6PD-deficient persons 1, 2 and 3. The effects of remifentanil hydrochloride, fentanyl citrate, alfentanil hydrochloride and pethidine hydrochloride, as analgesic drugs, on G6PD activity were tested. Although remifentanil hydrochloride, fentanyl citrate (I50 values; 1.45mM and 6.1 mM, respectively) inhibited the activity of the enzyme belonging to the healthy person, they did not alter enzyme activity on two of the three persons with G6PD deficiency. Other drugs (alfentanil hydrochloride and pethidine hydrochloride) did not effect the enzyme activity of the healthy or G6PD-deficient children.

Investigation of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) kinetics for normal and G6PD-deficient persons and the effects of some drugs.

In the present study, blood samples from 1183 children aged 0.5-6 years were taken. Three children were found with G6PD deficiency by examining the enzyme activity and hemoglobin ratio. Some kinetic properties of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme (G6PD) were studied after the purification of the enzyme with ammonium fractionation, dialysis and 2',5' ADP-Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography from a healthy person and from three G6PD-deficient people. The purity of the enzymes was confirmed by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. The effects of some drugs which are known inhibitors of G6PD activity were studied. Some of the drugs stimulated the activity of the enzyme in two of the three cases with G6PD deficiency. KM values, Vmax values for G6P and NADP+, optimum pH and optimum temperature for the enzyme from the healthy person and the three G6PD-defficient people are reported.

Bovine blastocyst development from oocytes injected with freeze-dried spermatozoa.

Pronuclear formation, and the chromosomal constitution and developmental capacity of bovine zygotes formed by intracytoplasmic sperm injection with freeze-dried (lyophilized) spermatozoa were evaluated. Frozen-thawed spermatozoa were selected, freeze-dried, and stored at 4 degrees C until use. After 22-24 h of in vitro maturation oocytes were denuded and injected singly with a lyophilized spermatozoon. Injected oocytes were activated by treatment with 10 microM ionomycin (5 min) alone and in combination with 1.9 mM 6-dimethylaminopurine (DMAP) for 4 h. Ionomycin plus DMAP activation treatment resulted in a significantly higher proportion of sperm-injected oocytes with two pronuclei than was found after activation with ionomycin alone (74% vs. 56%; P < 0.03). The rates of cleavage, morula, and blastocyst development of sperm-injected oocytes treated with ionomycin plus DMAP were higher than after activation with ionomycin alone (63.3%, 34.2%, and 29.6% vs. 44.7%, 18.7%, and 10.6%, respectively; P < 0.05). Seventy-three percent of blastocysts produced with lyophilized sperm were diploid. These results demonstrate that in vitro-matured bovine oocytes can be fertilized with freeze-dried sperm cells, and that resultant zygotes can develop into karyotypically normal blastocysts.