Summary
Two population samples, one from Europe and one from Africa, were analyzed for the distribution of genetic transferrin (TF) types, serum concentrations of TF, serum iron concentrations and free iron-binding capacities. In Europeans the distribution of the TF alleles was C1=0.816, C2=0.143, C3=0.037 and B2=0.004. In black Africans the allele frequencies were: C1, 0.823; C2, 0.104; and D1=0.073; TF*C3 was absent. The mean serum concentrations were 362±88 mg/dl in Europeans and 528±176 mg/dl in Africans; this difference was statistically significant. The concentration of serum imunoglobulins was also elevated in black Africans although their health was reported to be normal. The serum iron concentrations in Africans were decreased; the free ironbinding capacity of TF was, thus, increased; the free ironbinding capacity of TF was, thus, increased. In both population samples there was a tendency for slightly higher TF concentrations in the TF C1 subtype than the TF C2 subtype. This correlation was not statistically significant. Analysis of a larger sample is required to establish this relationship.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aisen P (1984) Transferrin metabolism and the liver. Semin Liver Dis 4:193–206
Auconi P, Biagini R, Colarazi P, Pascali V (1982) Transferrin C subtypes in extremely premature newborn infants. Pediatr Res 16:1022–1024
Beckman L, Beckman G (1986) Decrease of transferrin C2 frequency with age. Hum Hered 36:254–255
Beckman G, Beckman L, Sikström C (1980) Transferrin C subtypes and spontaneous abortion. Hum Hered 30:316–319
Beckman L, Beckman G, Cedergren B, Göransson K, Hallqvist E-B, Sikström C (1985) Transferrin C subtypes and occupational photodermatosis of the face. Hum Hered 35:89–94
Betke K (1984) Iron supply and immunity. J Korean Pediatr Assoc 27:1–6
Constans J, Viau M, Jaeger G, Palisson MJ (1981) Gc, Tf, Hp subtype and α1-antitrypsin polymorphism in a Pygmy Bi-Aka sample. Hum Hered 31:129–137
Dahlqvist SR, Beckman L (1985) Transferrin C subtypes and rheumatoid arthritis. Hum Hered 35:279–282
Dykes DD, de Furio CM, Polesky HF (1982) Transferrin (Tf) subtypes in US American Indians, Whites and Blacks using thin-layer agarose gels: report on a new variant TfCS. Electrophoresis 3:162–164
Eckfeldt JH, Dykes DD, Dahl II, Skare CM, Polesky HF (1985) Lack of influence of TfC genetic phenotype on iron, iron-binding capacity, percentage saturation, and immunologically determined transferrin in blood donor sera. Clin Chim Acta 145:101–106
Goya N, Miyazaki S, Kodate S, Ushido B (1972) A family of congenital atransferrinemia. Blood 40:239–245
Heilmeyer L, Keller W, Vivell O, Keiderling W, Betke K, Wöhler F, Schultze HE (1961) Kongenitale Atransferrinämie bei einem sieben Jahre altem Kind. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 86:1745–1751
Kamboh MI, Kirk RL (1983) Distribution of transferrin (Tf) subtypes in Asian, Pacific and Australian aboriginal populations: evidence for the existence of a new subtype TfC6. Hum Hered 33:237–243
Kornhuber B, Kühnl P (1986) Separator isoelectrofocusing: the influence of biological buffers on the IEF patterns of transferrins. In: Brinkmann B, Henningsen K (eds) Advances in forensic haemogenetics, vol 1. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 119–122
Kühnl P, Spielmann W (1978) Transferrin: evidence for two common subtypes of the TfC allele. Hum Genet 43:91–95
Leibman A, Aisen P (1979) Distribution of iron between the binding sites of transferrin in serum: methods and results in normal human subjects. Blood 53:1058–1065
Masawe AEJ, Muindi JM, Swai GBR (1974) Infections in iron deficiency and other types of anaemia in the tropics. Lancet II:314–317
Murray MJ, Murray AB, Murray MB, Murray CJ (1978) The adverse effect of iron repletion on the course of certain infections. Br Med J IV:1113–1115
Rosengren Å, Bjellqvist B, Gasparic V (1977) A simple method for choosing optimum pH conditions for electrophoresis. In: Radola BJ, Graesslin D (eds) Electrophoresis and electrofocusing. de Gruyter, Berlin New York, pp 165–171
Schade AL (1963) Significance of serum iron for the growth, biological characteristics, and metabolism of Staphylococcus aureus. Biochem Z 338:140–148
Schade AL, Caroline L (1946) An iron-binding component in human blood plasma. Science 104:340–341
Schwendner E (1986) Transferrin und Eisenbindung. Verteilung der genetisch determinierten Transferrin (TF)-Typen und Konzentration von Transferrin und Eisen im Serum bei zwei Stichproben von Europiden und Negriden. Diplomarbeit, Fakultät für Biologie, Universität München
Smithies O (1957) Variations in human serum β-globulins. Nature 180:1482–1483
Thymann M (1978) Identification of a new serum protein polymorphism as transferrin. Hum Genet 43:225–229
Turnbull A, Giblett ER (1961) The binding and transport of iron by transferrin variants. J Lab Clin Med 57:450–459
Walter H (1975) Transferrinsystem. In: Becker PE (ed) Humangenetik. Ein kurzes Handbuch in fünf Bänden, vol I/3. Thieme, Stuttgart, pp 137–166
Weidinger S, Cleve H, Schwarzfischer F, Postel W, Weser J, Görg A (1984) Transferrin subtypes and variants in Germany; further evidence for a Tf null allele. Hum Genet 66:356–360
Weinberg ED (1974) Iron and susceptibility to infectious disease. Science 184:952–956
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cleve, H., Schwendner, E., Rodewald, A. et al. Genetic transferrin types and iron-binding: a comparative study of a European and an African population sample. Hum Genet 78, 16–20 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00291227
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00291227