fa بیوشیمی Biochemistry <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><strong>Background:</strong></em> Haptoglobin (Hp) is a plasma &alpha;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.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><strong>Methods:</strong></em> 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).</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><strong>Results: </strong></em>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).</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Conclusion:</strong> We show that all Hp genotypes participate in idiopathic generalized epilepsy.</p> Epilepsy, Haptoglobin, Iran 51 55 http://rbmb.net/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-37&slc_lang=fa&sid=1 Sukaina Al-balaghee 10031947532846006046 10031947532846006046 No Department of Biology, Al Zahra University, Tehran, Iran Zeinab Al-balaghee 10031947532846006047 10031947532846006047 No Department of Biology, Al Zahra University, Tehran, Iran Ashraf Shabani 10031947532846006048 10031947532846006048 No Department of Biology, Al Zahra University, Tehran, Iran Parinaz Ghadam 10031947532846006049 10031947532846006049 No Department of Biology, Al Zahra University, Tehran, Iran Mojgan Bandehpour 10031947532846006050 10031947532846006050 No Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran - Biotechnology Department, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Ali Askari Mehr 10031947532846006051 10031947532846006051 No Iranian Epilepsy Association, Tehran, Iran Bahram Kazemi kazemi@sbmu.ac.ir 10031947532846006052 10031947532846006052 Yes Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran - Biotechnology Department, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran