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The haemochromatosis gene: A co‐factor for chronic liver diseases?
Author(s) -
George Dk,
Powell Lawrie W,
Losowsky Ms
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1746.1999.01944.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hemochromatosis , porphyria cutanea tarda , cirrhosis , hepatotoxin , steatohepatitis , gastroenterology , loss of heterozygosity , alcoholic liver disease , fibrosis , pathology , fatty liver , disease , gene , genetics , biology , allele , toxicity
There is increasing evidence that hepatotoxins, such as alcohol and the hepatitis viruses, act as co‐factors in causing hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis. For example, alcohol aggravates the hepatic damage produced by iron in hereditary haemochromatosis. We present evidence that the reverse is also true, that is, that iron loading of mild to moderate degree due to heterozygosity or homozygosity for the haemochromatosis genetic mutations acts as a significant hepatotoxin aggravating hepatic damage from other causes of liver disease. These include non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis, chronic hepatitis C, porphyria cutanea tarda and possibly primary liver cell cancer. However, any additional hepatotoxic effect is due to the hepatic iron concentration and not the mutations in the haemochromatosis genes.