The effects of erythropoetic activity and iron burden on hepcidin expression in patients with thalassemia major.
Hepcidin production is homeostatically regulated by iron stores, anemia and hypoxia. We evaluated the effect of iron overload and of ineffective erythropoeisis on hepcidin expression in patients with thalassemia major. Liver hepcidin mRNA levels correlated with hemoglobin concentration and inversely correlated with serum transferrin receptor, erythropoietin and non-transferrin-bound iron. They did not correlate with indices of iron load. Urinary hepcidin levels were disproportionably suppressed in regards to iron burden. We conclude that hepcidin expression is regulated mainly by increased erythropoietic activity rather than by iron load and that hepcidin plays a central regulatory role in iron circulation and iron toxicity in patients with thalassemia.
Kattamis
Antonis
A
First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens 11527, Greece. ankatt@med.uoa.gr
Papassotiriou
Ioannis
I
Palaiologou
Danai
D
Apostolakou
Filia
F
Galani
Angeliki
A
Ladis
Vassilis
V
Sakellaropoulos
Nikos
N
Papanikolaou
George
G
D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000235:genetics*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D017931:DNA Primers; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D004920:Erythropoiesis; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D064451:Hepcidins; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy
D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D017931:DNA Primers; C578702:HAMP protein, human; D064451:Hepcidins; D012313:RNA; D007501:Iron