title: Upregulation of hepcidin by interleukin-1beta in human hepatoma cell lines.
abstract: Anemia of chronic disease (ACD) is commonly observed in chronic inflammation, although its pathogenesis is poorly understood. Hepcidin is thought to be a key regulator in iron metabolism and has been implicated in ACD. Although the induction of hepcidin by an inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) seems to have been confirmed, it is still controversial whether interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), also known as an inflammatory cytokine, regulates hepcidin expression. We demonstrated that hepcidin mRNA was upregulated by IL-1beta in human hepatoma-derived HuH-7 cells, particularly at low concentrations of IL-1beta, while high concentrations of IL-6 were needed for the upregulation of hepcidin mRNA. Therefore, IL-1beta might be more important for the upregulation of hepcidin in physiological conditions than IL-6. Although IL-1beta induces IL-6 production in hepatocytes, our data indicate that the effect of IL-1beta on hepcidin expression is independent from that of IL-6. In conclusion, IL-1beta might have an important role in ACD.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical College, 2-1-1-1 Midorigaoka-Higashi, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 078-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Junki
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Inamura
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikuta
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jimbo
authors.forename: Motohiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shindo
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Torimoto
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kohgo