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Hemochromatosis: a model of metal-related human toxicosis

  • Ecotoxicology and toxicology: problems and decisions
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Abstract

Many environmental agents, such as excessive alcohol intake, xenobiotics, and virus, are able to damage the human body, targeting especially the liver. Metal excess may also assault the liver. Thus, chronic iron overload may cause, especially when associated with cofactors, diffuse organ damage that is a source of significant morbidity and mortality. Iron excess can be either of acquired (mostly transfusional) or of genetic origin. Hemochromatosis is the archetype of genetic iron overload diseases and represents a serious health problem. A better understanding of iron metabolism has deeply modified the hemochromatosis field which today benefits from much more efficient diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Association Fer-Métaux Essentiels-Recherche- Santé (AFeMERS) and Association Hémochromatose Ouest (AHO) for their support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rennes1, 2, avenue Pr. Léon BERNARD, 35043, Rennes, France

    Pierre Brissot

  2. Department of Biochemistry, Pontchaillou University Hospital, Rennes, France

    Pierre Brissot, Thibault Cavey & Martine Ropert

  3. Inserm-UMR 991, University of Rennes1, Rennes, France

    Pierre Brissot, Thibault Cavey, Martine Ropert, François Gaboriau & Olivier Loréal

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  1. Pierre Brissot
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  2. Thibault Cavey
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Correspondence to Pierre Brissot.

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P. B. has received fees for talks or advisory boards, and financial support for research from Novartis.

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Brissot, P., Cavey, T., Ropert, M. et al. Hemochromatosis: a model of metal-related human toxicosis. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 2007–2013 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7576-2

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