Ruxolitinib for the treatment of steroid-refractory acute GVHD (REACH1): a multicenter, open-label phase 2 trial.

Patients who develop steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation have poor prognosis, highlighting an unmet therapeutic need. In this open-label phase 2 study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02953678), patients aged at least 12 years with grades II to IV steroid-refractory aGVHD were eligible to receive ruxolitinib orally, starting at 5 mg twice daily plus corticosteroids, until treatment failure, unacceptable toxicity, or death. The primary end point was overall response rate (ORR) at day 28; the key secondary end point was duration of response (DOR) at 6 months. As of 2 July 2018, 71 patients received at least 1 dose of ruxolitinib. Forty-eight of those patients (67.6%) had grade III/IV aGVHD at enrollment. At day 28, 39 patients (54.9%; 95% confidence interval, 42.7%-66.8%) had an overall response, including 19 (26.8%) with complete responses. Best ORR at any time was 73.2% (complete response, 56.3%). Responses were observed across skin (61.1%), upper (45.5%) and lower (46.0%) gastrointestinal tract, and liver (26.7%). Median DOR was 345 days. Overall survival estimate at 6 months was 51.0%. At day 28, 24 (55.8%) of 43 patients receiving ruxolitinib and corticosteroids had a 50% or greater corticosteroid dose reduction from baseline. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were anemia (64.8%), thrombocytopenia (62.0%), hypokalemia (49.3%), neutropenia (47.9%), and peripheral edema (45.1%). Ruxolitinib produced durable responses and encouraging survival compared with historical data in patients with steroid-refractory aGVHD who otherwise have dismal outcomes. The safety profile was consistent with expectations for ruxolitinib and this patient population.

Screening for iron overload: lessons from the hemochromatosis and iron overload screening (HEIRS) study.

BACKGROUND: The HEmochromatosis and IRon Overload Screening (HEIRS) Study provided data on a racially, ethnically and geographically diverse cohort of participants in North America screened from primary care populations. METHODS: A total of 101,168 participants were screened by testing for HFE C282Y and H63D mutations, and measuring serum ferritin concentration and transferrin saturation. In the present review, lessons from the HEIRS Study are highlighted in the context of the principles of screening for a medical disease as previously outlined by the World Health Organization. RESULTS: Genetic testing is well accepted, with minimal risk of discrimination. Transferrin saturation has high biological variability and relatively low sensitivity to detect HFE C282Y homozygotes, which limits its role as a screening test. Symptoms attributable to HFE C282Y homozygosity are no more common in individuals identified by population screening than in control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Generalized population screening in a primary care population as performed in the HEIRS Study is not recommended. There may be a role for focused screening in Caucasian men, with some debate regarding genotyping followed by phenotyping, or phenotyping followed by genotyping.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding from metastatic testicular cancer.

We report a 22-year-old man who presented with a 2-week history of intermittent melena and worsening scrotal and leg swelling. His medical history was significant for testicular cancer for which he had undergone orchiectomy, lymphadenectomy, and platinum-based chemotherapy. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) performed revealed polypoid mass lesions in the second and third portions of the duodenum. Biopsy revealed mixed germ cell tumor with immature teratoma, the same histology as his testicular cancer. His chemotherapy was changed to an ifosphamide-based regimen and a repeat upper endoscopic examination 5 months later revealed complete resolution of previously noted polypoid duodenal mass lesions. This also demonstrates the effectiveness of ifosphamide as second-line therapy in the setting of resistance to platinum-based therapy.

Clinical manifestations of hemochromatosis in HFE C282Y homozygotes identified by screening.

BACKGROUND: Patients with hemochromatosis may suffer organ damage from iron overload, often with serious clinical consequences. OBJECTIVE: To assess prevalences of self-reported symptoms and clinical signs and conditions in persons homozygous for the hemochromatosis gene (HFE) mutation (C282Y) identified by screening. METHODS: Participants were adults 25 years of age or older enrolled in the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening (HEIRS) Study. C282Y homozygotes (n=282) were compared with control participants without the HFE C282Y or H63D alleles (ie, wild type/wild type; n=364). RESULTS: Previously diagnosed C282Y homozygotes and newly diagnosed homozygotes with elevated serum ferritin levels had higher prevalences of certain symptoms such as chronic fatigue (OR 2.8; 95% CI 1.34 to 5.95, and OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.07 to 3.75, respectively), and had more hyperpigmentation on physical examination (OR 4.7; 95% CI 1.50 to 15.06, and OR 3.7; 95% CI 1.10 to 12.16, respectively) and swelling or tenderness of the second and third metacarpophalangeal joints (OR 4.2; 95% CI 1.37 to 13.03, and OR 3.3; 95% CI 1.17 to 9.49, respectively) than control subjects. Joint stiffness was also more common among newly diagnosed C282Y homozygotes with elevated serum ferritin than among control subjects (OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.38 to 5.30). However, the sex- and age-adjusted prevalences of self-reported symptoms and signs of liver disease, heart disease, diabetes and most other major clinical manifestations of hemochromatosis were similar in C282Y homozygotes and control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Some symptoms and conditions associated with hemochromatosis were more prevalent among C282Y homozygotes identified by screening than among control subjects, but prevalences of most outcomes were similar in C282Y homozygotes and controls in this primary care-based study.

Serum ferritin concentrations and body iron stores in a multicenter, multiethnic primary-care population.

How often elevated serum ferritin in primary-care patients reflects increased iron stores (normally 0.8 g in men, 0.4 g in women) is not known. The Hereditary Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening (HEIRS) study screened 101,168 primary-care participants (44% Caucasians, 27% African-Americans, 14% Asians/Pacific Islanders, 13% Hispanics, 2% others). Follow-up clinical evaluation was performed in 302 of 333 HFE C282Y homozygotes regardless of iron measures and 1,375 of 1,920 nonhomozygotes with serum ferritin >300 microg/L (men), >200 microg/L (women) and transferrin saturation >50% (men), >45% (women). Quantitative phlebotomy was conducted in 122 of 175 C282Y homozygotes and 122 of 1,102 nonhomozygotes with non-transfusional serum ferritin elevation at evaluation. The estimated prevalence in the Caucasian population of C282Y homozygotes with serum ferritin >900 microg/L at evaluation was 20 per 10,000 men and 4 per 10,000 women; this constellation was predictive of iron stores >4 g in men and >2 g in women. The estimated prevalence per 10,000 of non-C282Y homozygotes with serum ferritin >900 microg/L at evaluation was 7 among Caucasians, 13 among Hispanics, 20 among African Americans, and 38 among Asians and Pacific Islanders, and this constellation was predictive of iron stores >2 g but <4 g. In conclusion, serum ferritin >900 microg/L after initial elevations of both serum ferritin and transferrin saturation is predictive of mildly increased iron stores in multiple ethnic populations regardless of HFE genotype. Serum ferritin >900 microg/L in male C282Y homozygotes is predictive of moderately increased iron stores.

Characteristics of participants with self-reported hemochromatosis or iron overload at HEIRS study initial screening.

There are few descriptions of young adults with self-reported hemochromatosis or iron overload (H/IO). We analyzed initial screening data in 7,343 HEmochromatosis and IRon Overload Screening (HEIRS) Study participants ages 25-29 years, including race/ethnicity and health information; transferrin saturation (TS) and ferritin (SF) measurements; and HFE C282Y and H63D genotypes. We used denaturing high-pressure liquid chromatography and sequencing to detect mutations in HJV, TFR2, HAMP, SLC40A1, and FTL. Fifty-one participants reported previous H/IO; 23 (45%) reported medical conditions associated with H/IO. Prevalences of reports of arthritis, diabetes, liver disease or liver cancer, heart failure, fertility problems or impotence, and blood relatives with H/IO were significantly greater in participants with previous H/IO reports than in those without. Only 7.8% of the 51 participants with previous H/IO reports had elevated TS; 13.7% had elevated SF. Only one participant had C282Y homozygosity. Three participants aged 25-29 years were heterozygous for potentially deleterious mutations in HFE2, TFR2, and HAMP promoter, respectively. Prevalences of self-reported conditions, screening iron phenotypes, and C282Y homozygosity were similar in 1,165 participants aged 30 years or greater who reported previous H/IO. We conclude that persons who report previous H/IO diagnoses in screening programs are unlikely to have H/IO phenotypes or genotypes. Previous H/IO reports in some participants could be explained by treatment that induced iron depletion before initial screening, misdiagnosis, or participant misunderstanding of their physician or the initial screening questionnaire.

Biological variability of transferrin saturation and unsaturated iron-binding capacity.

BACKGROUND: Transferrin saturation is widely considered the preferred screening test for hemochromatosis. Unsaturated iron-binding capacity has similar performance at lower cost. However, the within-person biological variability of both these tests may limit their ability at commonly used cut points to detect HFE C282Y homozygous patients. METHODS: The Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening Study screened 101,168 primary care participants for iron overload using transferrin saturation, unsaturated iron-binding capacity, ferritin, and HFE C282Y and H63D genotyping. Transferrin saturation and unsaturated iron-binding capacity were performed at initial screening and again when selected participants and controls returned for a clinical examination several months later. A missed case was defined as a C282Y homozygote who had transferrin saturation below the cut point (45% for women, 50% for men) or unsaturated iron-binding capacity above the cut point (150 micromol/L for women, 125 micromol/L for men) at the initial screening or the clinical examination, or both, regardless of serum ferritin. RESULTS: There were 209 C282Y previously undiagnosed homozygotes with transferrin saturation and unsaturated iron-binding capacity testing performed at the initial screening and clinical examination. Sixty-eight C282Y homozygotes (33%) would have been missed at these transferrin saturation cut points (19 men, 49 women; median serum ferritin level of 170 microg/L; first and third quartiles, 50 and 474 microg/L), and 58 homozygotes (28%) would have been missed at the unsaturated iron-binding capacity cut points (20 men, 38 women; median serum ferritin level of 168 microg/L; first and third quartiles, 38 and 454 microg/L). There was no advantage to using fasting samples. CONCLUSIONS: The within-person biological variability of transferrin saturation and unsaturated iron-binding capacity limits their usefulness as an initial screening test for expressing C282Y homozygotes.

HFE C282Y homozygotes aged 25-29 years at HEIRS Study initial screening.

We characterized HFE C282Y homozygotes aged 25-29 years in the HEmochromatosis and IRon Overload Screening (HEIRS) Study using health questionnaire responses, transferrin saturation (TfSat), serum ferritin (SF), and HFE genotyping. In eight homozygotes, we used denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography and sequencing to search for HFE2 (= HJV), TFR2, HAMP, SLC40A1 (= FPN1), and FTL mutations. Sixteen of 4,008 White or Hispanic participants aged 25-29 years had C282Y homozygosity (15 White, 1 Hispanic); 15 were previously undiagnosed. Eleven had elevated TfSat; nine had elevated SF. None reported iron overload-associated abnormalities. No deleterious non-HFE mutations were detected. The prevalence of C282Y homozygosity in White or Hispanic HEIRS Study participants aged 25-29 years did not differ significantly from the prevalence of C282Y homozygosity in older White or Hispanic HEIRS Study participants. The prevalences of reports of iron overload-associated abnormalities were not significantly different in these 16 C282Y homozygotes and in HFE wt/wt control participants aged 25-29 years who did not report having hemochromatosis or iron overload. We conclude that C282Y homozygotes aged 25-29 years diagnosed by screening infrequently report having iron overload-associated abnormalities, although some have elevated SF. Screening using an elevated TfSat criterion would fail to detect some C282Y homozygotes aged 25-29 years.

African Americans at risk for increased iron stores or liver disease.

PURPOSE: We sought to determine the prevalence of elevated measures of iron status in African Americans and whether the combination of serum ferritin concentration >200 microg/L for women or >300 microg/L for men and transferrin saturation in the highest quartile represents increased likelihood of mutation of HFE, self-reported iron overload or self-reported liver disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study of 27,224 African Americans > or =25 years of age recruited in a primary care setting was conducted as part of the multi-center, multi-ethnic Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening (HEIRS) Study. Measurements included serum ferritin concentration, transferrin saturation, testing for HFE C282Y and H63D, and self-reported iron overload and liver disease. RESULTS: Serum ferritin concentration >200 microg/L for women or >300 microg/L for men occurred in 5263 (19.3%) of African Americans, while serum ferritin concentration in this range with highest-quartile transferrin saturation (>29% women; >35% men) occurred in 1837 (6.7%). Adjusted odds of HFE mutation (1.76 women, 1.67 men), self-reported iron overload (1.97 women, 2.88 men), or self-reported liver disease (5.18 women, 3.73 men) were greater with elevated serum ferritin concentration and highest-quartile transferrin saturation than with nonelevated serum ferritin concentration (each P <.05). CONCLUSIONS: Serum ferritin concentration >200 microg/L for women or >300 microg/L for men in combination with transferrin saturation >29% for women or >35% for men occurs in approximately 7% of adult African American primary care patients. Patients with this combination of iron test results should be evaluated for increased body iron stores or liver disease.

Association of ferroportin Q248H polymorphism with elevated levels of serum ferritin in African Americans in the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening (HEIRS) Study.

The ferroportin (FPN1) Q248H polymorphism has been associated with increased serum ferritin (SF) levels in sub-Saharan Africans and in African Americans (AA). AA participants of the HEIRS Study who did not have HFE C282Y or H63D who had elevated initial screening SF (> or =300 microg/L in men and >= or =200 microg/L in women) (defined as cases) were frequency-matched to AA participants with normal SF (defined as controls) to investigate the association of the Q248H with elevated SF. 10.4% of cases and 6.7% of controls were Q248H heterozygotes (P=0.257). Q248H homozygosity was observed in 0.5% of the cases and none of the controls. The frequency of Q248H was higher among men with elevated SF than among control men (P=0.047); corresponding differences were not observed among women. This appeared to be unrelated to self-reports of a previous diagnosis of liver disease. Men with elevated SF were three times more likely than women with elevated SF to have Q248H (P=0.012). There were no significant differences in Q248H frequencies in men and women control participants. We conclude that the frequency of the FPN1 Q248H polymorphism is greater in AA men with elevated SF than in those with normal SF.

Geographic and racial/ethnic differences in HFE mutation frequencies in the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening (HEIRS) Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess geographic differences in the frequencies of HFE C282Y and H63D genotypes in six racial/ethnic groups recruited in the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening (HEIRS) Study. DESIGN: HFE C282Y and H63D genotypes of 97,551 participants, ages > or = 25 years, who reported that they belonged to one of six racial/ethnic groups, were analyzed. HFE genotype frequencies were compared among the racial/ethnic groups and among the HEIRS Study field centers within each racial/ethnic group. RESULTS: The distribution of HFE C282Y and H63D genotypes differed among racial/ethnic groups (P<.0001) and among field centers in Hispanics, Asians, Whites, and Blacks (each P<.05). Genotype frequencies were similar among field centers in Native Americans and Pacific Islanders. Frequencies of C282Y and H63D genotypes were greatest in Whites. The lowest frequencies of C282Y genotypes were observed in Asians; Blacks had the lowest H63D genotype frequencies and the highest frequency of the wild-type genotype. Among racial/ethnic groups, Hispanics had the greatest variation in HFE genotypes across geographic regions. CONCLUSION: HFE C282Y and H63D genotype frequencies vary significantly between racial/ethnic groups and within some racial/ethnic groups across geographic regions.

Mixture models of serum iron measures in population screening for hemochromatosis and iron overload.

Homozygosity for the C282Y mutation of the hemochromatosis gene on chromosome 6p (HFE) is a common genetic trait that increases susceptibility to iron overload. The authors describe and apply methodology developed for the analysis of phenotypic and genotypic data from 46,136 non-Hispanic Caucasians, a subset of the multi-ethnic cohort enrolled in the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening (HEIRS) Study. For analysis of the distribution of transferrin saturation (TS), mixtures of normal distributions were considered and the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm was applied for parameter estimation. Maximized log-likelihoods were compared, and significance was assessed by resampling. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values from the modeled subpopulations were compared with the actual observed genotypes for C282Y and H63D mutations in the HFE gene. A strong association between HFE genotype and TS subpopulations was found in these data collected from different geographic regions, confirming the external validity of the statistical approach when applied to population-based data. It was concluded that mixture modeling of phenotypic data may provide a clinical guide for screening with gender-specific thresholds to identify potential samples for genetic testing.

Case of chronic eosinophilic leukemia with deletion of chromosome 16 and hepatitis C.

Chronic eosinophilic leukemia is a rare entity, characterized by eosinophilia of >1.5 x 10(9)/L, persisting for >6 months after exclusion of other reactive and neoplastic causes of eosinophilia, and occurring in association with a clonal cytogenetic abnormality. Various chromosomal abnormalities have been associated with chronic eosinophilic leukemia. Partial deletion of the long arm of chromosome 16 is a cytogenetic abnormality first reported 20 years ago in patients with acute myeloid leukemia associated with bone marrow eosinophilia (AML-M4Eo). We report a case of a 45-year-old African-American male with hepatitis C and sustained peripheral blood eosinophilia who presented with gross hematuria, dyspnea on exertion, chills, decreased appetite and weight loss of 40 pounds associated with hepatosplenomegaly and lymphadenopathy. Bone marrow biopsy showed clonal cytogenetic abnormality consisting of deletion of the long arm of chromosome 16 (16q22). Philadelphia chromosome t (9;22) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis for C-kit and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-alpha (PDGFRA) mutations were negative. The patient was treated with imatinib at 400 mg/d with improvement of symptoms, reduction of lymphadenopathy and normalization of the eosinophil count. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of isolated del (16) (q22), a cytogenetic abnormality associated with AML-M4Eo, occurring in chronic eosinophilic leukemia. Whether this cytogenetic abnormality might represent a prodromal phase of AML-M4Eo is not known. In addition, the role of hepatitis C in inducing clonal proliferation of eosinophils is unclear.

Relationships of serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, and HFE mutations and self-reported diabetes in the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening (HEIRS) study.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the associations of self-reported diabetes with serum ferritin concentration, transferrin saturation (TfSat), and HFE C282Y and H63D mutations in six racial/ethnic groups recruited at five field centers in the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening (HEIRS) study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Analyses were conducted on 97,470 participants. Participants who reported a previous diagnosis of diabetes and/or hemochromatosis or iron overload were compared with participants who did not report a previous diagnosis. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of diabetes was 13.8%; the highest prevalence was in Pacific Islanders (20.1%). Of all participants with diabetes, 2.0% reported that they also had hemochromatosis or iron overload. The mean serum ferritin concentration was significantly greater in women with diabetes in all racial/ethnic groups and in Native-American men with diabetes than in those without diabetes. The mean serum ferritin concentration was significantly lower in Asian men with diabetes than in those without diabetes. Mean TfSat was lower in participants with diabetes from all racial/ethnic groups except Native-American women than in those without diabetes. There was no significant association of diabetes with HFE genotype. The mean serum ferritin concentration was greater (P < 0.0001) in women with diabetes than in those without diabetes for HFE genotypes except C282Y/C282Y and C282Y/H63D. Log serum ferritin concentration was significantly associated with diabetes in a logistic regression analysis after adjusting for age, sex, racial/ethnic group, HFE genotype, and field center. CONCLUSIONS: Serum ferritin concentration is associated with diabetes, even at levels below those typically associated with hemochromatosis or iron overload.

Liver diseases in the hemochromatosis and iron overload screening study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening (HEIRS) Study screened 101,168 primary care participants for iron overload with serum transferrin saturation (TS), ferritin, and C282Y and H63D mutations of the HFE gene. METHODS: All C282Y homozygotes and participants with an increased TS (>45% women, >50% men) and serum ferritin level (> 200 microg/L women, >300 microg/L men) were recalled for a clinical history and physical examination, and blood tests including alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase levels. Hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-hepatitis C virus were measured if the ALT level was increased (>31 IU/L in women, >40 IU/L in men). RESULTS: In the group of participants selected to return for clinical examination because of increased TS and ferritin levels, ALT increases and anti-hepatitis C virus were found in 95 of 284 (33%) African Americans, 50 of 466 (11%) Asian and Pacific Islanders, 21 of 120 (18%) Hispanics, and 40 of 477 (8.4%) Caucasians. ALT increases and hepatitis B surface antigen were detected in 24 of 466 (5%) Asian and Pacific Islanders, 10 of 284 (3.5%) African Americans, 3 of 120 (2.5%) Hispanics, and 2 of 477 (.42%) Caucasians. Of 86 liver biopsy specimens obtained for clinical purposes, 53 were reviewed by a single study pathologist. Liver fibrosis (stage 3 or 4) was present in 2 of 11 (18.2%) C282Y homozygotes that underwent central review and 2 of 302 (.66%) C282Y homozygotes attending the clinical examination. CONCLUSIONS: Screening for iron overload with ferritin and TS detects persons with viral hepatitis and other types of liver disease. A minimum of .66% C282Y homozygotes have liver fibrosis.

The association of serum ferritin and transferrin receptor concentrations with mortality in women with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Whether degree of iron stores influences progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease is controversial. We studied the relationship of indirect measures of iron stores with mortality in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-naive participants from the Women's Interagency HIV Study. DESIGN AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty-eight HIV-infected women who died before July 1996 were individually matched by CD4+ cell count (within +/- 50 cells/mL) and HIV RNA level (within +/- 0.50 log10 copies/mL) to 154 controls. Serum ferritin and transferrin receptor concentrations were measured in 151 pairs of women. Results. Using multivariable conditional logistic regression models that were adjusted for self-reported antiretroviral therapy use, age, smoking status, ethnicity, hemoglobin concentration, C-reactive protein and aspartate amino transferase, a log10 increase in baseline serum ferritin concentration was associated with a 1.67-fold increase in the odds of death (95% CI: 0.98, 2.86) and a one-unit decrease in transferrin receptor to log10 ferritin ratio was associated with a 1.12-fold (95% CI: 1.01, 1.23) increase in the odds of death. INTERPRETATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: In this study, higher indirect measures of iron status were associated with reduced survival among HAART-naive HIV-infected women. Additional prospective studies with data on direct measures of iron status along with randomized trials are needed to elucidate the current equipoise over whether iron supplementation is beneficial by preventing anemia or harmful by increasing iron stores in HIV-infected women.

Initial screening transferrin saturation values, serum ferritin concentrations, and HFE genotypes in whites and blacks in the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening Study.

We compared initial screening data of 44,082 white and 27,124 black Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening (HEIRS) Study participants. Each underwent serum transferrin saturation (TfSat) and ferritin (SF) measurements without regard to fasting, and HFE C282Y and H63D genotyping. Elevated measurements were defined as: TfSat more than 50% (men), more than 45% (women); and SF more than 300 ng/ml (men), more than 200 ng/ml (women). Mean TfSat and percentages of participants with elevated TfSat were significantly greater in whites than in blacks. Mean SF and percentages of participants with elevated SF were significantly greater in blacks than in whites. TfSat and SF varied by gender and age in whites and blacks. Prevalences of genotypes that included either C282Y or H63D were significantly greater in whites than in blacks. The prevalence of elevated TfSat and SF plus genotypes C282Y/C282Y, C282Y/H63D, or H63D/H63D was 0.006 in whites and 0.0003 in blacks. Among whites with HFE C282Y homozygosity, 76.8% of men and 46.9% of women had elevated TfSat and SF values. Three black participants had HFE C282Y homozygosity; one had elevated TfSat and SF values. Possible explanations for differences in TfSat and SF in whites and blacks and pertinence to the detection of hemochromatosis, iron overload, and other disorders with similar phenotypes are discussed.

Apoptosis induced by aspirin and 5-fluorouracil in human colonic adenocarcinoma cells.

Various biochemical, clinical and epidemiological studies have shown that aspirin (ASA) and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) demonstrate antineoplastic properties, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract, inhibiting the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells. The mechanism of action may be prostaglandin mediated through inhibition of the COX enzymatic system. This includes two iso-enzymes, COX-I and COX-II, working in concert with the activation of apoptosis, activation of immune surveillance, inhibition of proliferation, and inhibition of carcinogen activation. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) has demonstrated activity against colorectal cancer, leading to apoptosis of neoplastic cells. We evaluated the effects of varying doses of ASA (0.5, 1, 1.5 mM), both as a single agent and in combination with 5-FU (50 microg) in HT-29, a colon adenocarcinoma cell line. Proliferation assays showed that aspirin at a concentration of 1 mM inhibits cell growth. Cells treated with ASA, both alone and in combination with 5-FU, demonstrated apoptotic activity with the up-regulation of Bax protein, which is consistent with 5-FU anticancer treatment. Furthermore, there was synergistic cell death with ASA and 5-FU. DNA fragmentation, TUNEL, and trypan blue exclusion methods indicated that a combination of ASA and 5-FU induces apoptosis in cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. This study serves to further elucidate the mechanism of action of ASA, and ASA in combination with 5-FU, in colorectal cancer as evidenced by its effect on the HT-29 cell line.

Hemochromatosis and iron-overload screening in a racially diverse population.

BACKGROUND: Iron overload and hemochromatosis are common, treatable conditions. HFE genotypes, levels of serum ferritin, transferrin saturation values, and self-reported medical history were studied in a multiethnic primary care population. METHODS: Participants were recruited from primary care practices and blood-drawing laboratories. Blood samples were tested for transferrin saturation, serum ferritin, and C282Y and H63D mutations of the HFE gene. Before genetic screening, participants were asked whether they had a history of medical conditions related to iron overload. RESULTS: Of the 99,711 participants, 299 were homozygous for the C282Y mutation. The estimated prevalence of C282Y homozygotes was higher in non-Hispanic whites (0.44 percent) than in Native Americans (0.11 percent), Hispanics (0.027 percent), blacks (0.014 percent), Pacific Islanders (0.012 percent), or Asians (0.000039 percent). Among participants who were homozygous for the C282Y mutation but in whom iron overload had not been diagnosed (227 participants), serum ferritin levels were greater than 300 mug per liter in 78 of 89 men (88 percent) and greater than 200 microg per liter in 79 of 138 women (57 percent). Pacific Islanders and Asians had the highest geometric mean levels of serum ferritin and mean transferrin saturation despite having the lowest prevalence of C282Y homozygotes. There were 364 participants in whom iron overload had not been diagnosed (29 C282Y homozygotes) who had a serum ferritin level greater than 1000 microg per liter. Among men, C282Y homozygotes and compound heterozygotes were more likely to report a history of liver disease than were participants without HFE mutations. CONCLUSIONS: The C282Y mutation is most common in whites, and most C282Y homozygotes have elevations in serum ferritin levels and transferrin saturation. The C282Y mutation does not account for high mean serum ferritin levels and transferrin saturation values in nonwhites.