OBJECTIVEKearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS) and chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO) belong to neurological diseases caused by a defect in the energy-producing system of mitochondria, and are known to be associated with a deletion in the mitochondrial genome. This study was aimed to understand with greater clearness the characteristics of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in 11 Chinese patients with CPEO (7 cases) or KSS (4 cases).

METHODSDensitometry of the bands on Southern blot, polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and sequencing were performed to search large scale deletions and A3243G point mutation in patients' muscle mtDNA.

RESULTSLarge deletions in mtDNA were detected in 2 CPEO and 3 KSS patients, the size of deletion ranged from 3.0 kb to 8.0 kb. Moreover, mtDNA A3243G point mutation was identified in 1 KSS patient. The proportion of mutant mtDNA was 37.6%-87.0%. Direct sequencing of the PCR products revealed 5 novel large deletions not reported by others.

CONCLUSIONThe findings in this study being consistent with the reports by others, large scale deletions of mtDNA are frequently found in Chinese patients with KSS and CPEO. mtDNA A3243G mutation may also exist in some patients with KSS and CPEO.