High prevalence of non-HFE gene-associated haemochromatosis in patients from southern Italy.
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.
De Marco
Francesco
F
Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, AORN "Cardarelli", Napoli, Italy.
Liguori
Rosario
R
Giardina
Maria Grazia
MG
D'Armiento
Maria
M
Angelucci
Emanuele
E
Lucariello
Antonio
A
Morante
Roberto
R
Cimino
Lucia
L
Galeota-Lanza
Alfonso
A
Tarantino
Giovanni
G
Ascione
Antonio
A
Budillon
Gabriele
G
Vecchione
Raffaela
R
Martinelli
Rosanna
R
Matarazzo
Margherita
M
De Simone
Vincenzo
V
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
C103673:HFE protein, human; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D006639:Histidine; D003545:Cysteine