Determination of haptoglobin genotype in an Iranian population with idiopathic generalized epilepsy

Background: haptoglobin (hp) is a plasma ?2-sialoglycoprotein that contains alpha and beta chains. it displays in three common phenotypes, hp1-1, hp2-1, and hp2-2. proteins expressed by polymorphic genes have grossly different molecular sizes resulting in different diffusion rates in the brain. haptoglobin expressed by the hp2-2 genotype has lower hemoglobin-binding capacity than hp1-1 or hp2-1 and is associated with idiopathic generalized epilepsy.methods: to determine polymorphism in haptoglobin genes in patients with idiopathic generalized tonic-clonic seizures, 42 men, 42 women, and 50 controls were selected for this study. genomic dna was extracted from blood and studied by polymerase chain reactions (pcr).results: the amplified fragments for the hp1-1 and hp2-2 genotypes were 1757 and 3481 base pairs (bp) respectively, and the hp2-1 genotype had both fragments, in addition to a 349-bp fragment. the distribution of the three major hp phenotypes in epilepsy patients was 28.6 (1-1), 38.1 (2-1), and 33.3% (2-2) in the men, and 31 (1-1), 40.5 (2-1), and 28.6% (2-2) in the women. the distribution of hp genotypes in controls was 22 (1-1), 40 (2-1), and 38% (2-2).conclusion: we show that all hp genotypes participate in idiopathic generalized epilepsy.