SNP and haplotype analysis reveals new HFE variants associated with iron overload trait

Hereditary hemochromatosis is a common-recessive-autosomal disease characterized by progressive iron overload, and its prevalence correlates with c.845G>A (p. C282Y) mutation of the HFE gene. Two other variants c.187C>G and c.193A>T are associated with a mild iron overload phenotype. The correlation studies have revealed incompletely penetrance of the HFE mutations, as well as the lack of mutation on some chromosomes from patients. We screened for SNPs before examining allele and haplotype association with elevated iron parameters. We confirmed that the c.845G>A mutation is in complete linkage disequilibrium with a unique haplotype, whereas two haplotypes proved to account for 79.8 and 20.2% of the c.187G chromosomes whose only difference was the g.4694C>G variation. A greater prevalence of the g.4694G allele among patients' chromosomes, compared to controls, was observed. In addition, among non-mutant chromosomes the analyses revealed a risk haplotype and a protective haplotype, and the g.4694G and the c.1007-47A alleles were associated with a higher risk of elevated iron parameters. We determined that the g.4694C allele was located within a putative hypoxia-response element, protein binding was evidenced and was reduced with the g.4694C>G change. In addition, IVS4 was not spliced as well in the c.1007-47A allele compared to the c.1007-47G allele.