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Variants in 37 genes have been associated with low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, including HFE (High Fe) p.(C282Y), rs1800562. This variant is homozygous in ~90% patients with haemochromatosis. It may reduce signalling to hepcidin, increasing iron absorption. However it has an extended founder haplotype and the mechanism leading to association with LDL-C levels is not known. This study aimed to investigate the effects of predicted iron responsive elements (IREs) and iron on LDL-C associated gene expression. HepG2 cells were treated with 10 µM ferric ammonium citrate (FAC, “free” iron), 30 µM haemin (haem iron), 10 µM desferrioxamine (DFO, parenteral iron chelator) and 100 µM deferiprone (L1, oral iron chelator) for 24 h (> = 4 biological replicates). Total RNA was isolated from cells for real-time quantitative PCR TaqMan assays and relative quantification using the ∆Ct method. The …