Background: The peptide hormone hepcidin plays a central role in regulating dietary iron absorption and body iron distribution. Many human diseases are associated with alterations in hepcidin concentrations. The measurement of hepcidin in biological fluids is therefore a promising tool in the diagnosis and management of medical conditions in which iron metabolism is affected.
Content: We describe hepcidin structure, kinetics, function, and regulation. We moreover explore the therapeutic potential for modulating hepcidin expression and the diagnostic potential for hepcidin measurements in clinical practice.
Summary: Cell-culture, animal, and human studies have shown that hepcidin is predominantly synthesized by hepatocytes, where its expression is regulated by body iron status, erythropoietic activity, oxygen tension, and inflammatory cytokines. Hepcidin lowers serum iron concentrations by counteracting the function of ferroportin, a major cellular iron exporter present in the membrane of macrophages, hepatocytes, and the basolateral site of enterocytes. Hepcidin is detected in biologic fluids as a 25 amino acid isoform, hepcidin-25, and 2 smaller forms, i.e., hepcidin-22 and -20; however, only hepcidin-25 has been shown to participate in the regulation of iron metabolism. Reliable assays to measure hepcidin in blood and urine by use of immunochemical and mass spectrometry methods have been developed. Results of proof-of-principle studies have highlighted hepcidin as a promising diagnostic tool and therapeutic target for iron disorders. However, before hepcidin measurements can be used in routine clinical practice, efforts will be required to assess the relevance of hepcidin isoform measurements, to harmonize the different assays, to define clinical decision limits, and to increase assay availability for clinical laboratories.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2009.140053 | DOI Listing |
Obes Rev
January 2025
Advanced Centre for Evidence Based Child Health, Advanced Pediatrics Centre, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
Introduction: Obesity is a potential risk factor for anemia in children. This systematic review (SR) was undertaken to estimate the association of obesity with iron deficiency (ID) and ID anemia (IDA), in children.
Methods: A systematic literature search for observational studies was done in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and the Cochrane library, with additional hand-searching.
Sci Rep
January 2025
Institute of Comparative Molecular Endocrinology, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains the most prevalent type of primary liver cancer worldwide. p53 is one of the most frequently mutated tumor-suppressor genes in HCC and its deficiency in hepatocytes triggers tumor formation in mice. To investigate iron metabolism during liver carcinogenesis, we employed a model of chronic carbon tetrachloride injections in liver-specific p53-deficient mice to induce liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and subsequent carcinogenesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Prev Cardiol
January 2025
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
Aims: Hepcidin regulates plasma and tissue iron levels. We studied the association of hepcidin levels with the risk of incident heart failure (HF) and cardiac dysfunction in older adults.
Methods: We included adults from the ongoing, longitudinal Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study who were free from prevalent anemia and HF at Visit 5 (2011-2013) and had available hepcidin and covariate data.
Nephrol Dial Transplant
November 2024
Department of Medicine and Nephrology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico.
Background And Hypothesis: Daprodustat, an oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, is approved for treatment of anemia in dialysis patients with CKD in some parts of the world. This subgroup analysis examined the efficacy and safety of daprodustat versus darbepoetin alfa in patients with anemia of CKD undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD).
Methods: ASCEND-D (NCT02879305) was an open-label, Phase 3 trial; patients with CKD were randomized to daprodustat daily and epoetin alfa (HD patients) or darbepoetin alfa (PD patients).
J Adv Res
January 2025
College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083 China; Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Food Quality, Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083 China. Electronic address:
Background: Iron plays a crucial role through various life stages of human. Iron homeostasis is primarily regulated by iron absorption which is mediated via divalent metal-ion transporter 1 (DMT1), and iron export protein ferroportin (FPN), as there is no active pathway for iron excretion from the body. Recent studies have shown that the magnitude of iron absorption changes through various life stages to meet changing iron requirements.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!