HFE gene mutation and transferrin saturation in very low birthweight infants.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if there is an association between high transferrin saturation and the C282Y HFE gene mutation in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants.


METHODS
One hundred and forty three VLBW infants receiving recombinant erythropoietin and 3 to 9 mg/kg/day of enteral iron were studied. Genomic DNA was extracted from filter paper cards. The C282Y mutation was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.


RESULTS
Six infants were heterozygous for the mutation; none was homozygous. Ten infants had a transferrin saturation above 80% at least once. No infant was positive for both transferrin saturation above 80% and the mutation.


CONCLUSIONS
The data strongly suggest that there is no association between high transferrin saturation and the HFE gene mutation in VLBW infants during the first weeks of life.
Maier
R F
RF
Department of Neonatology Charité Virchow Hospital Humboldt University D-13353 Berlin Germany.
Witt
H
H
Bührer
C
C
Mönch
E
E
Köttgen
E
E
D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009154:Mutation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism*
C103673:HFE protein, human; D006680:HLA Antigens; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D014168:Transferrin