英国研究人员说，他们发现了一种控制人体血红蛋白含量的基因，这将有助于研制治疗贫血症等病症的药物。
英国帝国理工学院研究人员11日在《自然遗传学》杂志上报告说，他们对1．6万人的基因图谱和血红蛋白含量进行了分析。结果显示，基因TMPRSS6控制着人体内的血红蛋白含量。研究对象中既有欧洲人也有亚洲人，说明这一基因的作用在全球人群中广泛存在。
血红蛋白是高等生物体内负责运送氧的一种蛋白质，如果体内血红蛋白含量过低，就会出现贫血等症状。但如果血红蛋白含量太高，也会增加中风等疾病的风险。
研究人员说，如果能研发出增强基因TMPRSS6活动性的药物，就可以提高人体内的血红蛋白含量，帮助治疗贫血症等。同样，如果能用药物抑制该基因的作用，也可以根据需要降低血红蛋白的含量。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原始出处：
Nature Genetics 11 October 2009 | doi:10.1038/ng.456
Common variants in TMPRSS6 are associated with iron status and erythrocyte volume
Beben Benyamin1, Manuel A R Ferreira1, Gonneke Willemsen2, Scott Gordon1, Rita P S Middelberg1, Brian P McEvoy1, Jouke-Jan Hottenga2, Anjali K Henders1, Megan J Campbell1, Leanne Wallace1, Ian H Frazer3, Andrew C Heath4, Eco J C de Geus2, Dale R Nyholt1, Peter M Visscher1, Brenda W Penninx5, Dorret I Boomsma2, Nicholas G Martin1, Grant W Montgomery1 & John B Whitfield1
We report a genome-wide association study to iron status. We identify an association of SNPs in TPMRSS6 to serum iron (rs855791, combined P = 1.5 10-20), transferrin saturation (combined P = 2.2 10-23) and erythrocyte mean cell volume (MCV, combined P = 1.1 10-10). We also find suggestive evidence of association with blood hemoglobin levels (combined P = 5.3 10-7). These findings demonstrate the involvement of TMPRSS6 in control of iron homeostasis and in normal erythropoiesis.
1 Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
2 Netherlands Twin Register, Department of Biological Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
3 Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research, University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
4 Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine and Midwest Alcoholism Research Center, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
5 Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
