The Association between Iron HFE Gene and Neurodegenerative Diseases

บทคัดย่อ

Iron accumulation in the brain and increased oxidative stress have been consistently observed in several neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Amyothrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Recent studies have reported that mutations in the HFE gene, the gene involved in cellular iron regulation, are associated with iron accumulation in multiple organs including the brain. The two most common HFE gene variants are C282Y and H63D. The latter mutation has received more attention because it is more frequently associated with these neurodegenerative diseases. It has been reported that the altered HFE protein encoded by the H63D HFE gene variant increases oxidative stress, tau phosphorylation, and glutamate release. These cellular events are under investigation as contributing factors in neurodegenerative diseases. This review focuses on the association between the HFE gene variants and neurodegenerative diseases, especially ALS, AD, and PD. The role of quercetin in protecting against these diseases is also reviewed.