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Our aim was to evaluate the prenatal diagnosis of β-thalassemia (β-thal) and other hemoglobinopathies in a region with high frequency. After detection by premarital or antenatal screening, 312 patients underwent 420 prenatal diagnostic procedures for 407 fetuses in a 10-year period. Fetal samples were collected by chorionic villi sampling (CVS) in the first trimester and amniocentesis and cordocentesis in the second trimester. Mutation analyses of β-globin and cytogenetic analyses were performed and the most common mutations detected were: IVS-I-110 (G>A), IVS-II-1 (G>A), IVS-I-6 (T>C) and IVS-II-745 (C>G). Hb S [β6(A3)Glu→Val, GAG>GTG)] was the most common hemoglobin (Hb) variant with a frequency of 6.3%. Among 407 fetuses, 105 (25.8%) were diagnosed as affected, while 201 (49.4%) were carriers and 101 (24.8%) were normal. Cytogenetic analyses revealed nine fetuses (2.3%) with numerical chromosomal abnormalities as regular or mosaicism. Prenatal diagnosis of common hemoglobinopathies is safe and effective. Performing cytogenetic analysis in excess fetal material is an acceptable option.

Background: beta-Thalassemia is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by defective beta-globin chain production. Osteoporosis is an important cause of morbidity in patients with beta-thalassemia major. The pathogenesis of reduced bone mineral density (BMD) is multifactorial. A range of genetics factors have been implicated in other populations of patients with osteoporosis. Polymorphism at the Sp1 binding site of the collagen type I A1 (COLIA1) gene is thought to be an important factor in the development of osteoporosis., Methods: Alleles S and s, detected by presence of a G or T nucleotide, respectively in a regulatory site of the COLIA1 gene were investigated in 37 beta-thalassemia major patients with osteoporosis and 92 controls without osteoporosis or osteopenia using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism., Results: Fifteen and nine beta-thalassemia major patients displayed SS and Ss genotypes, respectively, whereas 13 were found to have an ss genotype. The mean BMD of the beta-thalassemia major patients with ss genotype was similar to those with the Ss and SS genotypes. In the control group, 77 and 15 subjects had SS and Ss genotypes, respectively, with no ss genotype. Allelic and genotypic distribution in patients were significantly different from controls., Conclusion: Determining base substitutions at the Sp1 binding site on the COLIA1 gene in early years may be important in preventing osteoporosis in children with beta-thalassemia major.

Beta-thalassemia is the most common disease among hemoglobinopathies in Antalya, Turkey, as well as world-wide. Mutations found in Turkish beta-thalassemia patients constitute a heterogeneous group, consisting mostly of point mutations. Only in very rare cases did deletions or insertions cause affected or carrier phenotypes. Hb Knossos [beta 27 (B9) Ala-Ser] is a rare variant with a normal HbA2 level. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of compound heterozygosity for Hb Knossos [Cod 27 (G-T)] and IVSII-745 (C-G). To our knowledge, this is the first report of such a combination related with beta-thalassemia major phenotype in a Turkish family, where reverse dot blot hybridization (RDBH) and DNA sequencing analysis were used. Heterozygous inheritance of the mutation results in mild beta-thalassemia phenotype, whereas homozygous inheritance leads to intermediate beta-thalassemia. As a result, the compound heterozygosity of Hb Knossos with IVSII-745 appears as the cause of the beta-thalassemia major phenotype in our case. The combination of these mutations [Hb Knossos, Cod 27 (G-T), and IVSII-745, C-G] causes the beta-thalassemia major phenotype, and this is important for genetic counseling.

Beta-thalassemia, an autosomal recessive disease, results from mutations of the beta-globin gene. More than 40 different mutations found in Turkish beta-thalassemia patients are mostly composed of point mutations, and only in very rare cases a deletion or an insertion causes beta-thalassemia phenotypes. Here, we report two patients who were clinically diagnosed with beta-thalassemia major and HbS/beta-thalassemia respectively. We performed reverse dot blot hybridization method and automated sequence analysis to detect the mutations. One of the patients was found to be IVS I.130 (G-C) homozygous, the other was HbS/IVS II.848 (C-A) as compound heterozygous. The aim of this study was to report hematological and clinical findings in both cases related with beta-globin gene defects that are very rare.

We have studied 918 chromosomes for mutations leading to beta-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia, which are the two most frequently found monogenic disorders in Antalya, Turkey. Three hundred and seventy-seven postnatal and 82 prenatal cases were studied between 2000 and May 2003 in our center using reverse dot blot hybridization (RDBH) with 22 probes specific for Mediterranean populations. In this study, IVSI-110 (G-->A) appeared to be the most common mutation with an occurrence rate of 44.4% among the 16 different mutations found to be associated with beta-thalassemia. Heterozygosity for IVSI-110 was the most prevalent combination, whereas 34 of our 377 postnatal cases showed homozygosity for this mutation, a genotype leading to beta-thalassemia major. The total percentage of postnatal patients clinically diagnosed as beta-thalassemia major was 18.6%, whereas 5% of the cases were diagnosed clinically as beta-thalassemia intermedia. One new Hb variant, Hb Antalya, and one new mutation, Cod 3 (+T) were found. HbS accounted for 10.3% of all mutations; homozygosity was found in 1.9% of all cases. Of the 82 cases analysed prenatally for beta-globin gene mutations and by cytogenetic techniques for possible chromosomal abnormalities, 21 fetuses were found to be affected with beta-globin gene mutations. One of these fetuses was also found to have a 45,X karyotype, and 1 had a 46,XY/47,XY,+22 karyotype. Quite a high rate of consanguineous marriages in Antalya (35.17%) renders mutation screening, genetic counseling, and educational programs held by our Thalassemia Unit essential. This study was the first to be performed specifically in our region where hemoglobinopathies are most frequent as a consequence of migrations of racially and culturally distinct groups to the area in the distant past., (Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel)