Global Sequencing for the Molecular Background of Hereditary Hemochomatosis In Brazilian Patients

Most hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) patients are homozygous for the p.C282Y mutation in the HFE gene. But rare HFE variants have been shown to be associated with HH. In addition, four main types of non-HFE HH are caused by mutations in the hemojuvelin (HJV), hepcidin (HAMP), transferrin receptor 2 (TFR2) and ferroportin (SLC40A1) genes. The main aim of this study was to screen for HFE, HJV, HAMP, TFR2 and SLC40A1 mutations and to investigate their relationship with HH.

Fifty-one Brazilian patients with primary iron overload (transferrin saturation > 50% in females and 60% in males) were eligible. Subsequent bidirectional sequencing for each exon of HFE, HJV, HAMP, TFR2 and SLC40A1 genes was performed. The effect of HFE p.V256I novel mutations on protein structure was analyzed by in silico molecular dynamic and free energy calculations.

Thirty-seven (72.5%) out of the 51 patients presented at least one HFE mutation. The most frequent genotype associated with HH was the homozygous p.C282Y mutation (n = 11, 21.6%). In addition, the p.S65C mutation was found in heterozygosis with p.H63D in two patients and the homozygous genotype for the p.H63D was found in two patients. One novel mutation (p.V256I) was indentified in heterozygosis with the p.H63D mutation. In silico modeling analysis of protein behavior suggested that the p.V256I mutation does not reduce the binding affinity between HFE and β2-microglobulin (β2M) in the same way the p.C282Y mutation does compared with the native HFE protein. Sequencing HJV revealed one patient presenting Juvenile hemochromatosis (JH) (homozygous genotype for the HJV p.G320V mutation); two patients carrying heterozygous genotype for the p.E302K mutation; and one patient with heterozygosis p.A310G polymorphism. Sequencing HAMP revealed one patient carrying p.P48G novel mutation in the heterozygous form. Three and five non-pathogenic polymorphisms were observed in the TFR2 and SLC40A1 genes, respectively. Sequencing SLC40A1 also identified one patient with homozygous genotype for the p.R561G described mutation; and one patient with homozygous genotype for the p.G204S novel mutation.

The HFE p.C282Y in homozygosis or in heterozygosis with p.H63D was the most frequent mutation associated with HH in our sample population. The novel HFE p.V256I mutation could not be implicated in the molecular basis of the HH phenotype. Two described mutations, HJV p.E302K and SLC40A1 p.R561G, could have functional consequences according to previously studies contributing to HH phenotype. Two novel mutations, HAMP p.R48G and SLC40A1 p.G204S, may be implicated with iron overload in these patients, but further studies are need to explain their impact on proteins.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.