Objective: To develop a new denaturing high performance liquid chromatograph (DHPLC)-based method to screen patients with EXT gene mutation and to study the gene mutation in three families with multiple exostoses.
Methods: All the exons of EXT gene, including the intro-exon boundaries, were amplified by PCR. Linkage analysis and DHPLC screening were carried out to identify the mutations. DNA sequencing was used to confirm the mutations.
Results: Two known splice site mutations, IVS2+1 G to A and IVS7+1 G to T, and two SNPs have been detected in EXT2 or EXT1 gene.
Conclusion: The transversions of IVS2+1 G to A and IVS7+1 G to T in EXT2 gene are suggested to be the disease-causing mutations and the DHPLC is a high throughout, sensitive, simple, quick, economical method to screen gene mutation in hereditary multiple exostosis.