The Circassians and the Chechens in Jordan: results of a decade of epidemiological and genetic studies.

Abstract

Circassians and Chechens in Jordan, both with Caucasian ancestry, are genetically isolated due to high rate of endogamous marriages. Recent interest in these populations has led to studies on their genetic similarities, differences, and epidemiological differences in various diseases. Research has explored their predisposition to conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. Moreover, pharmacogenetic (PGx) studies have also investigated medication response variations within these populations, and forensic studies have further contributed to understanding these populations. In this review article, we first discuss the background of these minority groups. We then show the results of a principle component analysis (PCA) to investigate the genetic relationships between Circassian and Chechen populations living in Jordan. We here present a summary of the findings from the 10 years of research conducted on them. The review article provides a comprehensive summary of research findings that are truly valuable for understanding the unique genetic characteristics, diseases' prevalence, and medication responses among Circassians and Chechens living in Jordan. We believe that gaining deeper comprehension of the root causes of various diseases and developing effective treatment methods that benefit the society as a whole are imperative to engaging a wide range of ethnic groups in genetic research.