Iron accumulation in chronic hepatitis C: relation of hepatic iron distribution, HFE genotype, and disease course.
The aim of the present study was to describe the histopathologic features of hepatic iron accumulation in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) infection, the relation between HFE mutations and hepatic iron location and among iron distribution, HFE, and hepatic damage. We studied 206 patients with CH-C infection. Of 101 patients with hemosiderin deposits, 90.1% had iron deposits in hepatocytes (alone or with sinusoidal and/or portal involvement). The hepatic iron score increased significantly as iron accumulation involved sinusoidal and portal tract compartments and according to HFE genotypes. Severe fibrosis and cirrhosis were associated more markedly with the presence of hemosiderin iron in the 3 hepatic compartments, HFE mutations, and high alcohol intake. We suggest that part of the iron accumulation in CH-C infection derives from increased iron absorption and release from storage cells and that the amount and distribution of hepatic iron deposits is related to hepatic damage. HFE mutations favor both processes, but other factors, genetic or acquired, are involved.
Corengia
Chiara
C
Unit of Clinical Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, Prevention and Biotechnologies, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
Galimberti
Stefania
S
Bovo
Giorgio
G
Vergani
Anna
A
Arosio
Cristina
C
Mariani
Raffaella
R
Redaelli
Alessandro
A
Riva
Alessia
A
Cestari
Cristina
C
Pozzi
Massimo
M
Valsecchi
Maria Grazia
MG
Piperno
Alberto
A
D005260:Female; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D006485:Hemosiderin / Q000378:metabolism; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D011168:Portal System / Q000378:metabolism; D012806:Siderosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
C103673:HFE protein, human; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D006485:Hemosiderin; D007501:Iron