Navigation Links
Europe's most common genetic disease is a liver disorder
Date:2/6/2008

Much less widely known than the dangerous consequences of iron deficiencies is the fact that too much iron can also cause problems. The exact origin of the genetic iron overload disorder hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) has remained elusive. In a joint effort, researchers from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the University of Heidelberg, Germany, have now discovered that HH is a liver disease. They report in the current issue of Cell Metabolism that the disorder develops when a crucial gene is lacking in liver cells.

Iron is essential for our body, because it is a central component of red blood cells. Too little iron can lead to dangerous anemias, but also too much iron can be detrimental as it promotes the formation of toxic radicals that lead to tissue damage. Hereditary hemochromatosis is an iron overload disorder that, affecting about one in 300 people, is probably the most common genetic disorder in Europe. Scientists have identified a gene, called HFE, that when mutated causes hemochromatosis in mice and humans. But as yet it is unknown in which tissue or organ the gene is acting to prevent iron overload.

A group of researchers around Matthias Hentze at EMBL and Martina Muckenthaler and Wolfgang Stremmel at the University of Heidelberg have now found that mice that are genetically engineered to lack HFE only in liver cells show all central features of the disease.

For a long time scientists thought of HH as a disease of the intestine, because this is where iron uptake actually takes place, says Matthias Hentze, Associate Director of EMBL. Our research now reveals the crucial point is actually the liver and explains why HH patients suffer from increased iron absorption.

HFE encodes a protein that is likely involved in transmitting signals about the current iron contents of the body to liver cells. In response to these signals, the liver cells make a special iron hormone, hepcidin that is released into th
'/>"/>

Contact: Anna-Lynn Wegener
wegener@embl.de
49-622-138-7452
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
Source:Eurekalert

3

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Blue-eyed humans have a single, common ancestor
2. Disrupting common parasites ability to talk to each other reduces infection
3. U of M research finds disordered eating less common among teen girls who regularly eat family meals
4. Bacterial infections in premature babies more common than previously realized
5. Tiny dust particles from Asian deserts common over western United States
6. Cell response to stress signals predicts tumors in women with common pre-breast cancer
7. Drug commonly used to treat bipolar disorder dramatically increases lifespan in worms
8. UCI researchers restore memory process in most common form of mental disability
9. Thriving hybrid salamanders contradict common wisdom
10. Genes and environment grant funds close look at nature-nurture overlap in common diseases
11. The importance of gene regulation for common human disease

Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:11/24/2009)...N ROUGE Antarctica has long held secrets of the e... recently, there has been very little information ...miles of ice for millions of years. Now, a team of... have been funded to the tune of $10 million doll... get to the bottom of things literally. These sci...
(Date:11/23/2009)...gton, D.C. The community-associated strain of the... resistant to most common antibioticsposes a far g...making its way into hospitals, according to a stud...seases . , The new threat is easily picked up i...s and has increased the overall burden of MRSA wit...
(Date:11/23/2009)...gton, CT Current research suggests that a common ... The related report by Nichols et al, "Unique Lipi...lass of TLR2 Ligands Capable of Enhancing Autoimmu...American Journal of Pathology . , Multiple scler...ks the brain and spinal cord, affects nearly 1 in ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):LSU gets to the bottom of things -- in Antarctica 2New study finds MRSA on the rise in hospital outpatients 2Factors from common human bacteria may trigger multiple sclerosis 2Holistic Success How To Achieve Health Happiness and Genuine Success 3A A Web TV Premiere 58744 1Holistic Success How To Achieve Health Happiness and Genuine Success 3A A Web TV Premiere 58744 2Biostar Pharmaceuticals Inc Receives Patent for Aoxing Ganbao 5185 1Biostar Pharmaceuticals Inc Receives Patent for Aoxing Ganbao 5185 2Biostar Pharmaceuticals Inc Receives Patent for Aoxing Ganbao 5185 3Professor Jens Reich first recipient of the Carl Friedrich von Weizsacker award 10232 1Professor Jens Reich first recipient of the Carl Friedrich von Weizsacker award 10232 2Professor Jens Reich first recipient of the Carl Friedrich von Weizsacker award 10232 3
...agnetic resonance imaging) body scanner in the wor...ter this week (Friday 18 th February). , The Achi...sity of Manchester and will be used by researchers...al areas. , The state-of-the-art technology inv...ace and means that higher quality scans can be car...
...ns Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System c...in comparing the cost-effectiveness of current mod...fecting 350 million worldwide. , Published in the... help physicians worldwide in making treatment dec...nly exists on how to best initiate hepatitis B tre...
...at only 2% -- 3% of human DNA codes for proteins. ...to as junk DNA -- consists of retroelements: genom...-transcribed into DNA, and then reinserted into a ...ses make up one class of these retroelements. Retr...DNA in either soma (nonreproductive cells) or the ...
Other Biology News:Next Generation Body Scanner Launched By The University Of Manchester 2Next Generation Body Scanner Launched By The University Of Manchester 3UCLA study assesses cost-effectiveness of Hepatitis B drugs 2UCLA study assesses cost-effectiveness of Hepatitis B drugs 3Chimp genome reveals a retroviral invasion 2Chimp genome reveals a retroviral invasion 3
(Date:11/25/2009)... Ambassador to Speak at Economic C...Canada (Vocus) November 25, 2009 -- Ambassador to ...avid Appia, French Ambassador for International In...ance Agency ,To view a biography of David Appia go...dor Appia is available to meet with press to discu...
(Date:11/25/2009)... , BEIJING, Nov. 25 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -... and provider of vaccines, announced today that it...ish Sinovac (Dalian) Vaccine,Technology Co., Ltd. ...roduce,and commercialize human-use vaccines. Sinov... developing and commercializing world-class vaccin...
(Date:11/24/2009)...elease is available in German . , Whether i...ds: RFID tags (Radio Frequency Identification) are.... They make it possible to label objects or goods .... The appropriate scanner can read and process the...affixed to goods under production conditions of up...
(Date:11/24/2009)... The New York investment bank KTA ...EU) has agreed an AU$6.7 mil convertible note priv...The private placement was arranged by KTA Capital ... , New York (PRWEB) Novem...t bank KTA Capital, LLC ("KTA Capital") ...
Breaking Biology Technology:French Ambassador for International Investment to Visit Toronto December 11 2Sinovac Establishes Joint Venture to Expand Human-Use Vaccine Development and Manufacturing Capabilities 2Sinovac Establishes Joint Venture to Expand Human-Use Vaccine Development and Manufacturing Capabilities 3Intelligence inside metal components 2KTA Capital Arranges an AU$6.7 Million Private Placement by Neuren Pharmaceuticals 2
...ICALS, INC. (OTC Bulletin Board: ACCP), announc...based oral mucositis product has been launched in ...s by its European commercial partner, SpePharm, a ...cated to the provision of high medical value medic...a license from Access Pharmaceuticals Inc, SpePhar...
...ging Solution Now Available in Three Configuration...l Systems, a leading supplier of digital radiograp...ommunications Systems) and practice management sof...ltrasound systems, VIA and RapidStudy(TM) DR imagi...erence East being held in Baltimore April 25-27, 2...
... Inc., a leading provider of software and database...y announced that the University of Cardiff has bec...ff University researchers will have access to Gene...y will be able to leverage their partner relations...ronment for all the university,s researchers. , ...
Other Biology Technology:Access Pharmaceuticals Announces the European Launch of MuGard(TM) by its European Partner, SpePharm 2Access Pharmaceuticals Announces the European Launch of MuGard(TM) by its European Partner, SpePharm 3Eklin Medical Systems to Showcase RapidStudy(TM) CDx Digital Radiography Systems at CVC East 2Eklin Medical Systems to Showcase RapidStudy(TM) CDx Digital Radiography Systems at CVC East 3Cardiff University Becomes a GeneGo Center of Excellence 2
...ed for Optimal Microdissection , CapSure HS and C... extraction of populations of pure cells from tiss...e Microdissection., Ensure the Integrity of Micr... , All CapSure LCM Caps have a patented transfer ...
...n system is used for single-color real-time detect...rophores and features a real-time PCR thermal grad... from 96 wells, a gene expression macro for relati...is. The system includes the optical module and opt...
...ed for Optimal Microdissection , CapSure HS and C... extraction of populations of pure cells from tiss...e Microdissection., Ensure the Integrity of Micr... , All CapSure LCM Caps have a patented transfer ...
DNA Engine Opticon Continuous Fluorescence Detection System from Bio-Rad
Biology Products: