A genome-wide meta-analysis yields 46 new loci associating with biomarkers of iron homeostasis
Publication: Communications Biology
E Allara, S Kaptoge, AM Wood, AS Butterworth, J Danesh, E Di Angelantonio et al
3 February 2021
Iron is essential for many biological functions and iron deficiency and overload have major health implications.
Here the researchers performed a meta-analysis of three genome-wide association studies from Iceland, the UK and Denmark of blood levels of ferritin, total iron binding capacity, iron and transferrin saturation.
They identified 46 novel loci affecting iron homeostasis and showed an association of five of these loci with IDA, a major clinical entity that hitherto has not been studied thoroughly from a genetic point of view.
This study reveals a substantial catalog of possible iron regulatory genes, awaiting further inquiry to fully elucidate their functional role.