Improved nonisotopic PCR-SSCP for screening of p53 mutations

Follicle stimulating hormone receptor gene variants in women with primary and secondary amenorrhea

PURPOSE

This retrospective study was designed to analyze the FSHR gene variants in subjects with primary and secondary amenorrhea with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighty six women with primary or secondary amenorrhea and 100 normally cycling proven fertile women of Indian origin were retrospectively studied. These subjects were systematically screened for entire FSHR gene.

RESULTS

The frequency distribution of polymorphism at -29 position of FSHR gene is altered in women with primary and secondary amenorrhea as compared to controls. AA genotype at -29 position of FSHR gene seems to be associated with increased serum FSH levels in the study subjects. We have identified a novel homozygous mutation C(1723)T (Ala(575)Val) in one woman with primary amenorrhea.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that increased serum FSH levels in subjects with primary amenorrhea correlated to FSHR genotype at position -29. We identified a novel homozygous mutation C(1723)T (Ala(575)Val) in a woman with primary amenorrhea.

Detection of somatic TP53 splice site mutations in diffuse astrocytomas

Alteration in TP53 is the most common genetic event reported for many tumors, including astrocytomas. The majority of studies, on analyzing TP53 mutations, have not included all splice junctions. Consequently, splice site mutations are thought to be relatively infrequent. TP53 were examined for mutations by polymerase chain reaction, single strand conformation polymorphism and direct sequencing in cases of diffuse astrocytomas. We found TP53 mutations in 17.8% (8 out of 45) of the tumors tested: 3 splicing, 3 missense and 2 silent mutations. We have shown that splice site mutations of TP53 are more frequent than previously reported. These findings emphasize the importance of thorough screening of TP53 mutations in gliomas.