Hepcidin regulation in wild-type and Hfe knockout mice in response to alcohol consumption: evidence for an alcohol-induced hypoxic response.
OBJECTIVE
Expression of Hamp1, the gene encoding the iron regulatory peptide hepcidin, is inappropriately low in HFE-associated hereditary hemochromatosis and Hfe knockout mice (Hfe(-/-)). Since chronic alcohol consumption is also associated with disturbances in iron metabolism, we investigated the effects of alcohol consumption on hepcidin mRNA expression in Hfe(-/-) mice.


METHODS
Hfe(-/-) and C57BL/6 (wild-type) mice were pair-fed either an alcohol liquid diet or control diet for up to 8 weeks. The mRNA levels of hepcidin and ferroportin were measured at the mRNA level by RT-PCR and protein expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1alpha) was measured by western blot.


RESULTS
Hamp1 mRNA expression was significantly decreased and duodenal ferroportin expression was increased in alcohol-fed wild-type mice at 8 weeks. Time course experiments showed that the decrease in hepcidin mRNA was not immediate, but was significant by 4 weeks. Consistent with the genetic defect, Hamp1 mRNA was decreased and duodenal ferroportin mRNA expression was increased in Hfe(-/-) mice fed on the control diet compared with wild-type animals and alcohol further exacerbated these effects. HIF-1alpha protein levels were elevated in alcohol-fed wild-type animals compared with controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol may decrease Hamp1 gene expression independently of the HFE pathway possibly via alcohol-induced hypoxia.
School of Medicine and Gallipoli Research Foundation University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Mandy L
ML
Heritage
Therese L
TL
Murphy
Kim R
KR
Bridle
Gregory J
GJ
Anderson
Darrell H G
DH
Crawford
Linda M
LM
Fletcher
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000502:physiology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D064451:Hepcidins; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout
D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; C579599:Hamp protein, mouse; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D064451:Hepcidins; C499535:Hfe protein, mouse; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D000431:Ethanol