[Clinical research and preliminarily exploration of genetic basis on a hereditary hemochromatosis pedigree].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinical features of a hereditary hemochromatosis pedigree and to explore preliminarily the genetic basis of this pedigree.


METHODS
Survey was carried out among the family members, including history taking, physical examination, laboratory examination (such as iron-biochemistry indexes, liver function, blood sugar), multiple-organs MRI scan, iron staining of liver biopsy tissues and making the pedigree chart. The blood samples of the pedigree were collected, the genomic DNA was extracted, the PCR amplification was made and finally the sequence analysis for several mutations of common hereditary hemochromatosis genes was done.


RESULTS
In this pedigree, 7 members were found with iron overload and clinically diagnosed as hereditary hemochromatosis. The features are transmitted from generation to generation without gender difference and the gene penetrance is about 46%. The common mutations of SLC40A1 and HFE were not found in the family members.


CONCLUSIONS
Cutaneous pigmentation and iron overload in liver and spleen are the most typical characters in this hereditary hemochromatosis pedigree, which corresponds with autosomal dominant inheritance. However, the genetic basis of this pedigree is unknown yet.
Division of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
Jun
J
Jiang
Jin-ming
JM
Huang
Wei
W
Qian
Ling
L
Yang
Jin
J
Ye
Xiao-hua
XH
Hou
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D010375:Pedigree