title: High prevalence of non-HFE gene-associated haemochromatosis in patients from southern Italy.
abstract: Hereditary haemochromatosis is an autosomal recessive disorder of iron regulation that results in abnormal intestinal iron absorption with progressive iron overloading of parenchymal cells. Two specific, single point mutations of the HFE gene (C282Y and H63D) have been described in haemochromatosis patients. Epidemiological studies have revealed a strict association between hereditary haemochromatosis and C282Y homozygosis or C282Y/H63D compound heterozygosis, suggesting that these mutations may provide a useful tool for diagnosis. However, recent investigations from southern Europe have reported lower allelic frequencies of the C282Y mutation among haemochromatosis patients, apparently depending on the geographical area of the population analysed. To assess the predictive value of the detection of the C282Y and H63D HFE mutations in our geographical area, we have evaluated their occurrence in 46 haemochromatosis patients from southern Italy. We found that only 19.6% of our patients were homozygous for the C282Y mutation and 21.7% were compound C282Y/H63D heterozygotes. Among the remaining 59%, approximately 40% did not display any of the known HFE mutations. We conclude that, in southern Italy, another genetic determinant/s must be responsible for many haemochromatosis cases and that a genetic screening for the C282Y and H63D HFE mutations is not sufficient for hereditary haemochromatosis diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, AORN "Cardarelli", Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Marco
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liguori
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Giardina
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Armiento
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Angelucci
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucariello
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morante
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cimino
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galeota-Lanza
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tarantino
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ascione
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Budillon
authors.forename: Raffaela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vecchione
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matarazzo
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Simone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003545:Cysteine / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D006579:Heterozygote; D006639:Histidine / Q000235:genetics; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: C103673:HFE protein, human; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D006639:Histidine; D003545:Cysteine