Abstract

Background: Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome (JLNS) is an autosomal recessive genetic disease with deafness and QT prolongation. Mutations in KCNQ1 and KCNE1 genes are a cause of JLNS. Our objective was to perform mutational analysis of the KCNQ1 and KCNE1 genes to determine the frequency of mutations in the Iranian population. Material and methods: Fourteen patients and their families were investigated. Mutational screening of the KCNQ1 and KCNE1 genes was performed by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by direct Sanger sequencing. Results: We identified two frameshift mutations in the KCNQ1 gene, including a novel mutation, c.1356 1356delG, and a known mutation, c.15341534delG. A common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), c.112G > A, was also found in KCNE1 in seven probands. Conclusion: A novel mutation in the KCNQ1 gene is described. There may be less frequency of mutations in the KCNQ1 and of KCNE1 genes in Iranian JLNS patients compared with other populations.