Mutations in the hemochromatosis gene (HFE), Parkinson's disease and parkinsonism

Iron overload increases oxidative stress and may lead to neurodegenerative disease like Parkinson's disease (PD). We studied the role of mutations in the hemochromatosis gene HFE in PD and other parkinsonism (non-PD PS) in two population-based series. The first series consisted of 137 patients with PD and 47 with non-PD PS, and the second of 60 patients with PD and 25 with non-PD PS. In the first series, PD patients were significantly more often homozygous for the C282Y mutation than controls (P = 0.03). Patients with non-PD PS in both series were more often carriers for the C282Y mutation than controls (P = 0.009, P = 0.006, respectively). Our data are hampered by small numbers, yet suggest that the C282Y mutation increases the risk of PD and non-PD PS. The rarity of this genotype requires a large series of patients to prove our hypothesis. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.