Serum Zinc, gamma-amino butyric acid levels and gabrg2 gene" polymorphisms in children with simple febrile seizures

Abstract EN

Background : febrile seizure is one of the most common seizure disturbances in children, but its exact pathogenesis is not fully understood.

There are different hypotheses about neurotransmitters and trace element (such as zinc) changes.

Mutations in the gene encoding the gamma2 subunit of the gamma-amino butyric acid type A receptor (GABRG2) have been reported to cause childhood absence epilepsy, febrile seizures, and generalized epilepsy with FS plus. Aim: the present study was undertaken to detect the serum zinc (S.

Zn) and gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) levels in children with simple febrile seizures (FSs) and we studied that if polymorphisms of y2 subunit of GABA receptor gene on chromosome 5q33 are associated with FSs in children or not.

Methods: It is a retrospective study included 50 children between 6 months to 5 years of age of both sexes (29 boys, 21 girls) with simple febrile seizures.

The Zn levels in serum was assayed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and GABRG2genotypes were determined following PCR Results: the mean serum zinc and serum GABA were significantly decreased in febrile seizures children as compared to the control (P<0.0001).

Significant positive correlation was detected between serum zinc and- serum GABA (P<0.0001).But we found no significant correlation between both serum zinc and GABA and age, sex, degrees of temperature, duration of fever or family history.

The GABRG2 (SNP211037)-C / C genotype was overrepresented in patients with FSs compared to healthy control subjects (26% versus 10%), and the GABRG2 (SNP211037)-C allele was significantly higher in patients with FSs than in healthy control subjects (p = 0.006).

The odds ratio for developing FSs in children with GABRG2 (SNP211037)-C allele was 2.15 compared with children with the GABRG2 (SNP211037)-T allele. Conclusion : low levels of serum zinc and serum GABA and the polymorphism of GABA receptor gene might be one of the susceptibility factors for febrile convulsions.