ABSTRACT
Background. The MPS-I is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the IDUA gene that induce to a deficiency of glycosidase Ó-L-iduronidase that is required for degradation of heparan and dermatan sulfate. This disorder expresses a wide range of clinical symptoms. Methods. Kpnl (k) and VNTR (V) intragenic polymorphisms at the IDUA gene were studied in mestizo and Huichol Indian Mexican populations as well in 13 MPS-I patients. Data from Australian normal and MPS-I (2-4) individuals were also studied. Results. Genotypes for IDUA K and V sites in Mexicans were in agreement with hardy-Weinberg expectations, except for stie K in Huichols, Individually, allele frequency distributions were different (p< 0.05) in the two normal groups for the V site. K-V haplotype frequency distributions (HFDs) in these two normal groups were also different as compared with normal Australians. In Mexican MPS-I patients, HFD was different (p <0.05) with or MPS-I Australians. This can be taken as evidence of linkage disequilibrium between K-V polymorphism and MPS-I gene mutation(s) at the IDUA region. A similar finding was reported. However, disequilibrium in Mexicans was determined by haplotypes different from those in Australia. In Mexican MPS-I patients, haplotype K2-V1 is increased and K1-V3 decreades with respect to the Mexican mestizo (p < 0.05), while in Australians, MPS-I patients had an increase of haplotypes K2-V2 and K1-V2 with respect to expected frequency. Conclusions. The similar HFD between Mexican and australian MPS-I patients suggests a common genetic origin, that MPS-I mutations were introduced to Mexico by Spaniards, and that such mutations predate the dispersion between Mexican and Australian Caucasian ancestors. The differences in disequilibrium are explained rather by genetic drift