The swift updates of public databases and advancements in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have enhanced the genetic identification capacities of epilepsy clinics. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of NGS in pediatric epilepsy patients as a whole and to present the data obtained in the whole exome sequence analysis. We enrolled 40 children with suspected childhood epilepsy in this study. All patients underwent evaluation by a clinical geneticist or pediatric neurologist and the molecular genetic analysis of those children was performed by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Out of the 40 patients, 12 (30%) received a genetic diagnosis, involving 14 mutations across 13 genes. The cumulative positive diagnostic yield was 30%. Twelve of these patients were identified to have 5 variants previously documented as pathogenic, 9 variants classified as likely pathogenic, and 5 novel variants that have not been reported before. The outcomes indicate that whole-exome sequencing offers great benefits in clinical patient diagnosis, particularly in terms of detecting diagnostic variants. This study underscored the significance of whole exome sequencing (WES) studies, where only a broad gene set is examined in epilepsy patients. This approach has the potential to establish gene-specific phenotypic profiles, particularly by uncovering novel candidate genes in epilepsy patients with well-defined phenotypes. Additionally, conducting validation studies on variants of uncertain clinical significance could enhance the outcome yield.

Background: Febrile seizures (FS) are the most common seizures in childhood, yet their clinical, biochemical, and genetic risk factors are still being clarified. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of FS from clinical, laboratory, and genetic perspectives. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 124 children aged 6 months to 5 years presenting with FS and 93 febrile controls without seizures were evaluated. Clinical features, laboratory parameters (including trace elements and hormonal markers), and genetic analysis using a 37-gene epilepsy panel were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of FS, complex FS, and recurrent seizures. Results: Children with FS had significantly lower serum sodium, vitamin D, and zinc levels compared to controls. Multivariate analysis identified low sodium and low vitamin D levels as independent risk factors for FS. In the subgroup analysis, lower sodium and vitamin D levels and elevated ferritin levels were independently associated with complex FS. Lower serum zinc levels were significantly associated with seizure recurrence. Genetic analyses revealed pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in 15.7% of patients with FS, predominantly involving SCN1A and PCDH19 genes. Patients with pathogenic variants also exhibited significantly lower levels of zinc, and selenium compared to genetically negative patients. Conclusions: This study highlights that metabolic disturbances, particularly involving sodium, vitamin D, and zinc, play a crucial role in FS occurrence, complexity, and recurrence. Ferritin may serve as a more sensitive indicator of inflammatory processes influencing seizure severity compared to CRP. Furthermore, genetic predispositions, especially SCN1A and PCDH19 variants, may underlie susceptibility in a subset of children. Routine evaluation of biochemical markers and consideration of genetic testing in selected cases may enhance individualized management strategies for FS.

Objectives: Hemoglobin disorders are quite heterogeneous in the Turkish population. Up to now, more than forty different beta thalassemia mutations and 60 hemoglobin variants have been characterized in the country. The aim of this study was to investigate genetic heterogeneity of HBB gene mutations in patients and their parents at Southeastern Anatolia in Turkey. Methods: Genomic DNA was isolated from 145 thalassemic patients’ blood samples and their parents in this study. Ten different HBB gene mutations HBB:c.-80T>A, HBB:c.17_18delCT, HBB:c.25_26delAA, HBB:c.92+1G>A, HBB:c.92+5G>C, HBB:c.92+6T>C, HBB:c.93-21G>A, HBB:c.135delC, HBB:c.315+1G>A, HBB:c.316-106C>G were screened by amplification refractory mutation system. Four Hb variants and some rare beta thalassemia mutation were characterized by DNA sequencing. Results: In this study, 97 homozygous and 48 compound heterozygous thalassemic patients were diagnosed by molecular genetic analyses. As a results, 18 β-thalassemia mutations and four abnormal hemoglobins; HBB:c.20A>T, HBB:c.364G>C, HBB:c.34G>A and HBB:c.208G>A were detected at Dicle University Hospital. Conclusions: In the results, HBB:c.93-21G>A is the most common mutation in the region. Three mutations [(HBB:c.93-21G>A), (HBB:c.25_26delAA) and (HBB:c.135delC)] account for about 58 per cent of all the point mutations. Except HBB:c.20A>T and HBB:c.364G>C, two silent Hb variants (HBB:c.34G>A and HBB:c.208G>A) were detected in this study. Hb Hamilton [β11 (GTT>ATT) Val>Ile] was seen first time in Turkey.

Around 70 percent of cases of Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) etiology remain unexplained. The aim of our study is to contribute to the etiology and genetic background of POI. A total of 37 POI patients and 30 women in the reproductive period were included in this prospective, case-control study between August 2020 and December 2021. The women were examined for 36 genes with next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel. Gene variations were detected in 59.5 percent of the patients in the case group. FSHR p.S680N (rs6166, c.2039 G>A) and FSHR p.A307T (rs6165, c.919 G>A) gene variants, which are most frequently located in exon 10 of the FSHR gene, were detected in both groups. Although it was not found that these gene variants were significantly different between the groups, it was also found that they were significantly different in POI patients under 30 years of age and in those with a family history of POI. Variations were detected in 12 genes in POI patients. Two gene variants (FGFR1 [c.386A>C, rs765615419] and KISS1 [c.58 G>A, rs12998]) were detected in both groups, and the remaining gene variants were detected only in POI patients. No differences were detected between the groups in terms of gene variations. However, the gene variations detected only in POI patients may play a role in the etiology of POI.

Objective: Hematological cancers are a group of neoplasms that affect the bone marrow, blood and lymph nodes, usually associated with structural and numerical chromosomal abnormalities. Bone marrow examination in hematological cancers has an illuminating and guiding role in the diagnosis and prognosis of the disease. In our study, it was aimed to retrospectively evaluate the results obtained by using the Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH) method of certain genetic disorders in patients with a diagnosis of hematological cancer. Materials & Methods: In our study, between January 1, 2021 and November 30, 2021 The results obtained from bone marrow samples of 109 patients (KML n=14, AML n=40, KLL n=6, ALL n=27, M.Myelom n=22) with pre-diagnosis of hematological cancer, who were referred to Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Department of Hematology and other clinics, were analyzed retrospectively in terms of age, gender, and disease distribution. All of the patients included in the study group were evaluated in terms of chromosomal anomalies, numerical and structural changes, or presence of balanced translocation. Results: There were 47 female patients and 62 male patients, and the mean age was 48±21.6 years. As a result of the examination of the cases, known for AML; t(15;17), monosomy 7 and trisomy 8, t(9;22) for KML; del(13q14) and del(17p13) for KLL, t(11;14)(q13;q32) for M. Myeloma, (t[9;22]) (bcr-abl) and t(4;11) for ALL structural and numerical chromosome changes such as shown first. In addition, in the comparison of the groups, no significant difference was found between the materials participating in the study, male and female. Conclusion: In this study, which we conducted with our patients who were prediagnosed with hematological cancer with the FISH method, we evaluated our results regarding the prognostically important anomalies associated with the diseases. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of diseases is very important in terms of treatment planning and prognosis of the course of the disease. As a result, considering the difficulty of obtaining cells from bone marrow taken under limited and difficult conditions according to our study results, it was concluded that the FISH method is a powerful and effective technique used in cancer genetics, since it provides the opportunity to work even in interphase cells.