Study of FRDA gene in suspect Friedreich ataxia patients

ABSTRACT

Friedreich ataxia [FA] is an autosomal recessive disorder. Cause of about 2-4% of disease is a GAA triplet repeat expansion in the one allele and carries a point mutation as the other allele. This study was performed to investigate exons of FXN gene to find point mutations for the first time in Iran. In this descriptive study, 50 patients suspected to FA who referred to Special Medical Center were investigated. Genomic DNA was investigated by different PCR methods, including PCR for intron, Long PCR and PCR for exons of FXN gene. Then, products were sequenced and finally sequences were analyzed by related software. C to G nucleotide in intron 2 nt825954, and T to C in intron 3 nt832729 of FRDA gene were observed by sequencing method. Nucleotide G insertion was detected in exon 5a nt 822225. Our study showed that diagnosis of FA is not simple because of clinical overlapping with other ataxia, some mutations in intron maybe affect on the disease which need more examination, and because of consanguinity marriage in Iran, some patients with homozygote mutation may show FA phenotype