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. 2021 Sep 1;22(9):2837-2845.
doi: 10.31557/APJCP.2021.22.9.2837.

Significance of Hereditary Hemochromatosis Gene (HFE) Mutations in Chronic Hepatitis C and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients in Egypt: A Pilot Study

Reham M Dawood  1 , Mai Abd El Meguid  1 , Walied Elrobe  2 , Ghada M Salum  1 , Naglaa Zayed  2 , Sherief Mousa  2 , Eman Medhat  2
Affiliations

Significance of Hereditary Hemochromatosis Gene (HFE) Mutations in Chronic Hepatitis C and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients in Egypt: A Pilot Study

Reham M Dawood et al. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. .

Abstract

Background: Hereditary hemochromatosis is a genetic disease defined by enhanced overloading of iron and associated with Chronic Hepatitis C (CHC). This study aims to evaluate the correlation of the HFE gene mutations on Egyptian CHC with liver disease progression and the risk of HCC development.

Methods: The HFE mutations (C282Y and H63D) were genotyped on 100 CHC patients and 50 healthy individuals by a hybridization assay. The serum iron content was also measured for all subjects.

Results: A significant elevation of the serum iron, ferritin, and TIBC in HCV-infected patients (p≤0.05). The H63D mutation was detected in 23% of the all studied samples. The serum iron and the H63D heterozygosity were correlated significantly between non-cirrhotic and cirrhotic without HCC patients.

Conclusion: The H63D heterozygosity might have a potential role in iron accumulation. Moreover, HFE mutations did not tend to be associated with an increased risk of HCC in cirrhotic patients.

Keywords: HFE gene polymorphism; Hemochromatosis; Hepatitis C; Iron.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest concerning this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Boxplot Shows Comparison between Control and HCV Patients Regarding: a) Serum Iron, b) Serum TIBC, c) Serum Ferritin and d) transferrin saturation. In control group (n=50) and HCV patients (n=100). The statistical comparisons were done by using Mann–Whitney test., the data was displayed as median (p < 0.001).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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