Upregulation of transferrin receptor 2 and ferroportin 1 mRNA in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C.
BACKGROUND
Iron accumulation has been reported to be associated with progression of liver injury. The mechanism of iron accumulation in the liver is not known. In the present study, hepatic messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of transferrin receptor (TfR)1, TfR2, and ferroportin (FP)1 was measured in patients with chronic hepatitis (CH).


METHODS
Eleven patients with CH-B and 43 patients with CH-C were enrolled. All patients underwent liver biopsy. Hepatic expression of TfR1, TfR2 and FP1 mRNA was analyzed using a real-time polymerase chain reaction. Total hepatic iron score (THIS) was evaluated by Prussian blue staining.


RESULTS
Serum ferritin concentration is significantly higher in CH-C than in CH-B. Values of THIS of >/=5 were observed only in CH-C patients (44% of CH-C patients). The expression level of TfR2 mRNA was 10-26-fold higher than the TfR1 mRNA expression level. The TfR2 and FP1 mRNA expression was significantly higher in CH-C than in CH-B patients. Hepatic expression of TfR2 and FP1 mRNA was well correlated with THIS.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatic iron accumulation is more severe in patients with CH-C. Upregulation of hepatic iron transporters may contribute to the hepatic iron accumulation in CH-C.
Takeo
Masaki
M
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mie University School of Medicine, Mie, Japan.
Kobayashi
Yoshinao
Y
Fujita
Naoki
N
Urawa
Naohito
N
Iwasa
Motoh
M
Horiike
Shinichiro
S
Tanaka
Hideaki
H
Kaito
Masahiko
M
Adachi
Yukihiko
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005260:Female; D005295:Ferrocyanides; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015854:Up-Regulation; D000098742:Ferroportin
D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005295:Ferrocyanides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; C503640:TFR2 protein, human; D000098742:Ferroportin; C000170:ferric ferrocyanide