Evaluation of the effect of divalent metal transporter 1 gene polymorphism on blood iron, lead and cadmium levels

Published Dec 9, 2014Environmental research

How a Gene Variation in Metal Transport Affects Blood Levels of Iron, Lead, and Cadmium

AI simplified

Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Page updated Apr 6, 2026

Abstract

In a Turkish population of 486 individuals, 49.8% had the homozygote typical (CC) genotype for the DMT1 gene.

The average blood levels of iron, lead, and cadmium were measured at 446.01 ± 81.87 ppm, 35.59 ± 17.72 ppb, and 1.25 ± 0.87 ppb, respectively.
Individuals with the CC genotype exhibited higher blood levels of iron, lead, and cadmium compared to those with AA and CA genotypes.
Statistically significant associations were found between the IVS4+44 C/A polymorphism in the DMT1 gene and blood iron (p=0.001) and lead levels (p=0.036).
No significant association was detected between the polymorphism and cadmium levels (p=0.344).
The findings suggest that variations in the DMT1 gene may influence individual differences in blood metal levels.

AI simplified

Divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1), a member of the proton-coupled metal ion transporter family, mediates transport of ferrous iron from the lumen of the intestine into the enterocyte and export of iron from endocytic vesicles. It has an affinity not only for iron but also for other divalent cations including manganese, cobalt, nickel, cadmium, lead, copper, and zinc. DMT1 is encoded by the SLC11a2 gene that is located on chromosome 12q13 in humans and express four major mammalian isoforms (1A/+IRE, 1A/-IRE, 2/+IRE and 2/-IRE). Mutations or polymorphisms of DMT1 gene may have an impact on human health by disturbing metal trafficking. To study the possible association of DMT1 gene with the blood levels of some divalent cations such as iron, lead and cadmium, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (IVS4+44C/A) in DMT1 gene was investigated in 486 unrelated and healthy individuals in a Turkish population by method of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The genotype frequencies were found as 49.8% homozygote typical (CC), 38.3% heterozygote (CA) and 11.9% homozygote atypical (AA). Metal levels were analyzed by dual atomic absorption spectrometer system and the average levels of iron, lead and cadmium in the blood samples were 446.01 ± 81.87 ppm, 35.59 ± 17.72 ppb and 1.25 ± 0.87 ppb, respectively. Individuals with the CC genotype had higher blood iron, lead and cadmium levels than those with AA and CA genotypes. Highly statistically significant associations were detected between IVS4+44 C/A polymorphism in the DMT1 gene and iron and lead levels (p=0.001 and p=0.036, respectively), but no association was found with cadmium level (p=0.344). This study suggested that DMT1 IVS4+44 C/A polymorphism is associated with inter-individual variations in blood iron, lead and cadmium levels.

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View full text (XML) ↗View full text ↗

Evaluation of the effect of divalent metal transporter 1 gene polymorphism on blood iron, lead and cadmium levels

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief

Abstract

Full Text

Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief