GJB2 and GJB6 mutations are an infrequent cause of autosomal-recessive nonsyndromic hearing loss in residents of Mexico.

Objectives: Mutations in the DFNB1 locus are the most common cause of autosomal-recessive nonsyndromic hearing loss (ARNSHL) worldwide. The aim of this study was to identify the most frequent mutations in patients with ARNSHL who reside in Northeastern Mexico.

Methods: We determined the nucleotide sequence the coding region of GJB2 of 78 patients with ARNSHL. Polymerase chain reaction assays were used to detect the GJB2 IVS1+1G>A mutation and deletions within GJB6.

Results: GJB2 mutations were detected in 9.6% of the alleles, and c.35delG was the most frequent. Six other less-frequent mutations were detected, including an extremely rare variant (c.645_648delTAGA), a novel mutation (c.35G>A), and one of possible Mexican origin (c.34G>T). GJB6 deletions and GJB2 IVS1+1G>A were not detected.

Conclusions: These data suggest that mutations in the DFNB1 locus are a rare cause of ARNSHL among the population of Northeastern Mexico. This confirms the genetic heterogeneity of this condition and indicates that further research is required to determine the other mechanisms of pathogenesis of ARNSHL in Mexicans.