[Polymorphism of the mitochondrial microsatellite 303-315 in breast cancer in Tunisia].

Aim: The aim of this work was to study the correlation between the mitochondrial microsatellite, situated between the nucleotides 303 and 315 of the mitochondrial genome and the breast cancer in Tunisia.
Materials and Methods: We have analyzed, by PCR-sequencing, the polymorphism of a mitochondrial microsatellite in 40 Tunisian patients and 39 healthy Tunisian donors. Comparisons of epidemiologic and sequences data were performed by chi-2 test.
Results: We have revealed, for this mitochondrial microsatellite, seven different haplotypes in patients and five different haplotypes in controls. The haplotypic distribution was not significant between patients and controls but a negative association between one of these haplotypes (309+C 315+C) and the lymph node invasion was found.
Conclusion: The haplotype 309+C 315+C is negatively correlated with lymph node invasion of breast cancer in Tunisia.