General aspects and current view of the molecular study of Phenylketonuria (PKU) in Mexico

Abstract

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomic recessive inborn errors of metabolism. It is caused y the deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase, an enzyme encoded by the PAH gene in 12q22. This gene has a wide mutation spectrum and several different genotypes have been identified. There are many experimental strategies that allow molecular diagnosis of PAH in order to identify causal mutations in patients with phenylektonuria. The identification of the PAH genotype in these patients allows genetic counseling, genotype-phenotype correlation and for some cases treatment adjustment. There are few studies concerning the mutation spectrum of PAH in Mexican patients. Currently, a study to identify the genotypes of these patients is being done. Only preliminary results are presented, nevertheless results are expected to clarify the mutation spectrum, enable the identification of possible genotype-phenotype correlations and elucidate the ancestral origin of the mutations.

Keywords

• Fenilcetonuria
• fenilalanina hidroxilasa
• genotipo
• espectro mutacional de PAH