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Abstract
Background: Ferroportin is a transmembrane protein responsible for iron export from enterocytes and macrophages. Mutation c.744G → T (Q248H), located in exon 6 of the ferroportin gene SLC40A1, is found as a polymorphism in populations of African origin. This mutation has been extensively analysed in African-Americans, but poorly studied in native African populations.
Aim: To increase information about Q248H mutation frequency in native sub-Saharan populations examining three West African populations.
Subjects and methods: Samples from S. Tomé e Príncipe (n = 115), Angola (n = 156) and Republic of Guinea (n = 170) were analysed for Q248H mutation and for two polymorphisms, IVS1( − 24)G → C and microsatellite (CGG)n, using standard molecular methodology.
Results: The estimated frequencies of Q248H allele were 2.2% in S. Tomé e Príncipe, 3.5% in Angola and 4.1% in Republic of Guinea. Analysis of polymorphisms IVS1( − 24)G → C and (CGG)n showed mutation allele c.744T to be strongly associated with haplotype IVS1( − 24)G/(CGG)7.
Conclusions: This study confirmed the presence of Q248H mutation at polymorphic frequencies in three native sub-Saharan populations. Analysis of two additional markers in the same gene support a single origin of the mutant allele c.744T in the haplotype background IVS1( − 24)G/(CGG)7.
Acknowledgements
This work was performed in part with the support of Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), University of Coimbra, Forum Hematológico, Department of Hematology, Centro Hospitalar de Coimbra, EPE and ‘Financiamento Programático do Laboratório Associado CMDT.LA/IHMT’. Special thanks to the volunteer donors from São Tomé e Príncipe, Angola and Republic of Guinea and the community leaders and Hospital Pediátrico David Bernardino (Angola) for their technical assistance.
Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.