Abstract
Non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss (NSHL) represents the most common cause of hearing loss in the Iranian patients. In view of the large numbers of mutations identified in GJB2, mutations analysis of the gene has been time-consuming and cost-ineffective. Alternatively, molecular markers that are highly linked to the GJB2 gene have proven to be useful in carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis of NSHL families. These markers usually show a population-dependent-based haplotype frequency. However, to date, no information on the genotyping and frequency of the markers is present for the Iranian population. In this study, genotyping and analysis of the haplotype frequency of three markers, including BanI, D13S141, and D13S175, at the GJB2 region were investigated. The haplotype frequency was estimated using PHASE program. The input data contained two alleles (+ and -) for BanI, four alleles for D13S141, and seven alleles for D13S175. Among the 42 possible haplotypes examined, four haplotypes showed relatively high frequencies (≥5%). Therefore, a combination of BanI/D13S141/D13S175 could be suggested as an informative haplotype for possible carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis of NSHL in the Iranian population.