HFE H63D mutation frequency shows an increase in Turkish women with breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
The hereditary hemochromatosis gene HFE plays a pivotal role in iron homeostasis. The association between cancer and HFE hetero- or homozygosity has previously been shown including hepatocellular and nonhepatocellular malignancies. This study was performed to compare frequencies of HFE C282Y and H63D variants in Turkish women with breast cancer and healthy controls.


METHODS
Archived DNA samples of Hacettepe University Oncology Institute were used in this study. The HFE gene was investigated by PCR-RFLP.


RESULTS
All subjects studied were free from C282Y mutation. Thirty-nine patients had H63D mutation and were all heterozygous. H63D allele frequency was 22.2% (39/176) in the breast cancer patients, and 14% (28/200) in the healthy volunteers. Statistical analysis of cases with HFE H63D phenotype showed significant difference between breast cancer and healthy volunteers (P = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that HFE H63D mutation frequencies were increased in the breast cancer patients in comparison to those in the general population. Also, odds ratios (odds ratio = 2.05) computed in this study suggest that H63D has a positive association with breast cancer.
Gunel-Ozcan
Aysen
A
Kirikkale University School of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Kirikkale, Turkey. agozcan@yahoo.com
Alyilmaz-Bekmez
Sibel
S
Guler
Emine Nilufer
EN
Guc
Dicle
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D006579:Heterozygote; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009154:Mutation; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D014421:Turkey
C103673:HFE protein, human; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D004247:DNA; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes