ABSTRACT.We reviewed cytogenetic studies performed on 4216 patients who were referred to the Cytogenetics Unit at Dicle University Hospital, Diyarbair, Southeast Turkey, between 2000 and 2009. The cases were grouped according to the reason of referral for cytogenetic analysis. The frequencies of the different types of numerical and structural abnormalities were determined, and the relative frequency of cases with abnormal karyotypes was calculated in each group. The most common reason for requesting cytogenetic testing was referral for Down syndrome and for repeated abortions. The highest frequencies of abnormal karyotypes were found among cases that were referred due to suspicion of Down syndrome (84.8%). Among the chromosomal abnormalities, sexual chromosomal abnormalities were found in 239 cases (17.6%), and Klinefelter syndrome was the most frequent sex chromosomal abnormality. Autosomal abnormalities were found in 1119 cases (82.4%), and Down syndrome was the most frequent autosomal chromosomal Chromosomal abnormalities in Southeast Turkey abnormality. In conclusion, the high rate of chromosomal abnormalities (32.2%) found in this population demonstrates the importance of cytogenetic evaluation in patients who show clinical abnormalities. This is the first report on cytogenetic testing in the southeast region of Turkey. This type of study provides a basis for determining the risks of recurrence and for deciding on clinical treatment and genetic counseling.

The influence of FSH receptor (FSHR) variants on male infertility is not completely understood. The present investigation is the first screening study for SNP at nucleotide position −29 in the core promoter region and codon 680 in exon 10 of the FSHR and the effect of the serum levels of FSH on male infertility in Southeast Turkey. The SNPs in codon 680 and at position −29 of the FSHR gene were analyzed by PCR-RFLP technique in 240 men with proven fathers, and 270 infertile men (150 nonobstructive azoospermic and 120 severe oligozoospermic). The separate analysis for SNP at nucleotide position −29 did not show any difference in genotypic frequencies and serum FSH levels. The genotype distribution of SNP at position 680 was different but does not influence serum FSH levels. Together the two SNPs form four discrete haplotypes (A-Thr-Asn, G-Thr-Asn, A-Ala-Ser, and G-Ala-Ser) occurring in 10 combinations. A statistically significant difference in the allelic distribution of G-Asn/G-Ser and G-Ser/G-Ser genotype between proven fathers and infertile men but there were not any statistically significant difference in the overall frequency of the four FSHR haplotypes. We conclude that the FSHR haplotype does not associate with different serum FSH levels but it is differently distributed in proven fathers and infertile men.

Factor V Leiden (FV-Leiden) and prothrombin gene mutations (FII G20210A) are well-established independent risk factors for thrombosis. In the recent years, many studies have suggested that these mutations are associated with an increased risk of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). We aimed to investigate the prevalence of these molecular defects in subjects with a history of early RPL. One hundred and fourteen women with three or more consecutive unexplained first-trimester miscarriages were compared to 185 parous women with uncomplicated pregnancies from the same ethnic origin. The presence of FV-Leiden and FII G20210A mutations was assessed by polymerase chain reaction analysis. Overall, 11 out of the 114 women with early RPL (9.6%) had either FV-Leiden or FII G20210A mutation, as compared with 16 out of the 185 women with normal pregnancies (8.6%; p = 0.756). The prevalence of FV-Leiden mutation was 7.9% (9/114) in patient group, compared with 7% (13/185) in control group (p = 0.780). One hundred and two patients were primary and 12 were secondary aborters. All FV-Leiden positive cases were primary aborters (8.8%; 9/102, p = 0.584). Concerning the FII G20210A, two out of 114 (1.7%) were first-trimester RPL (primary aborters) and three out of 185 (1.6%) controls were carriers of the FII G20210A mutation (1.7 vs 1.6%, p = 0.931). The results obtained from patients with first-trimester RPL and the control group have no statistical significant differences in the prevalence of FV-Leiden and FII G20210A mutations. These results suggest that mutations have no role in etiology of first-trimester recurrent abortions.

Netherton syndrome (NS) is a rare autosomal recessive genodermatosis caused by loss-of-function mutations in the SPINK5 gene. The clinical features include congenital ichthyosis, trichorrhexis invaginata and atopy. In this study, we report a new homozygous SPINK5 mutation, p.Gln333X, responsible for NS in affected members of two closely related Turkish families, and provide an overview of the genotype-phenotype correlation in this condition.

AIM: In 95 % of Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients, chromosomal translocation resulting in the formation of the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome (t:9;22) is observed, which in turn leads to the formation of the BCR-ABL fusion gene. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small and non-coding RNAs modulating gene expression via binding to the target mRNAs. We aimed to characterize the expression profi les of various miRNAs in different stages of Ph(+) CML patients. METHODS: This case-controlled study was conducted in 75 CML patients and 25 healthy controls. The subjects were categorized into 4 groups; newly diagnosed patients, treatment-response patients, treatmentfailure patients, and healthy controls. Expressions of miRNAs was analyzed by RT-PCR. RESULTS: miR-150 expression was downregulated in the treatment failure patients compared to the control group (p = 0.003212) while miRNA 148b expression up-regulated in the treatment failure patients than the control group (p = 0.038016). miR-10a expression was up-regulated in newly diagnosed and treatment response patients compared to control group (p = 0.003934, p = 0.000292, respectively). It was found that miR-10a expression increased 11.17-fold in newly diagnosed patients and 9.82-fold in treatment response patients than in the control group. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that expression profi les of miR-10a, miR-150, and miRNA 148b were correlated as biomarker and therapeutic tool in Turkish patients with CML (Tab. 2, Fig. 1, Ref. 30).

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways in which many cells and cellular elements play a role. Like other atopic diseases, asthma is a complex disorder caused by interactions between multiple genes of small to modest effect and equally important environmental factors. The aim of this study was to determine the TNF-α-308 g/a polymorphism and the TRAIL polymorphisms, and their influence on asthma in asthmatic patients and healthy subjects.

Polymorphisms of the p53 gene, which participates in DNA repair, can affect the functioning of the p53 protein. The Arg and Pro variants in p53 codon 72 were shown to have different regulation properties of p53-dependent DNA repair target genes that can affect various levels of cytogenetic aberrations in chronic hepatitis B patients. The present study aimed to examine the frequency of chromosomal aberrations and the mitotic index in patients with chronic hepatitis B and their possible association with p53 gene exon 4 codon 72 Arg72Pro (Ex4+119 G>C; rs1042522) polymorphism. Fifty-eight patients with chronic hepatitis B and 30 healthy individuals were genotyped in terms of the p53 gene codon 72 Arg72Pro polymorphism by PCR-RFLP. A 72-h cell culture was performed on the same individuals and evaluated in terms of chromosomal aberrations and mitotic index. A high frequency of chromosomal aberrations and low mitotic index were detected in the patient group compared to the control group. A higher frequency of chromosomal aberrations was detected in both the patient and the control groups with a homozygous proline genotype (13 patients, 3 control subjects) compared to patients and controls with other genotypes [Arg/Pro (38 patients, 20 control subjects) and Arg/Arg (7 patients, 7 control subjects)]. We observed an increased frequency of cytogenetic aberrations in patients with chronic hepatitis B. In addition, a higher frequency of cytogenetic aberrations was observed in p53 variants having the homozygous proline genotype compared to variants having other genotypes both in patients and healthy individuals.

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