Exome sequencing in HFE C282Y homozygous men with extreme phenotypes identifies a GNPAT variant associated with severe iron overload

Abstract

To identify polymorphisms associated with variability of iron overload severity in HFE-associated hemochromatosis, we performed exome sequencing of DNA from 35 male HFE C282Y homozygotes with either markedly increased iron stores (n=22; cases) or with normal or mildly increased iron stores (n=13; controls). The 35 participants, residents of the United States, Canada, and Australia, reported no or light alcohol consumption. Sequencing data included 82,068 single-nucleotide variants, and 10,337 genes were tested for a difference between cases and controls. A variant in the GNPAT gene showed the most significant association with severe iron overload (P=3 × 10-6; P=0.033 by the likelihood ratio ..