title: Hepcidin in acute iron toxicity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepcidin regulates extracellular iron concentration by inhibiting iron release from macrophages and preventing iron absorption in the intestine. Our objective was to evaluate the expression of hepcidin in the liver in acute iron poisoning in a rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats were assigned to group 1, who received 750 mg/kg elemental iron (LD(50)) by gavage, and group 2 (control), who received distilled water. Iron concentrations and liver transaminases were measured in the serum. Hepcidin messenger RNA levels were measured in the liver.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean serum iron levels, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and uric acid were significantly higher in group 1 compared to group 2 (P < .0001, P = .01, P < .0001, and P = 0.0001, respectively). Hepcidin messenger RNA levels in the liver were significantly higher in the study group (P = .005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In acute iron intoxication, hepcidin expression in the liver significantly increased. Further studies are needed to determine whether hepcidin levels correlate with the severity of the intoxication.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Department, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin 70300, affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toledano
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kozer
authors.forename: Lee H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abu-Kishk
authors.forename: Adina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bar-Haim
authors.forename: Yariv
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Siman-Tov
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rechavi
authors.forename: Gideon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rechavi
authors.forename: Orly
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Weizer-Stern
authors.forename: Matitiahu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berkovitch
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D064451:Hepcidins; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D007501:Iron / Q000506:poisoning*; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; C578703:Hamp protein, rat; D064451:Hepcidins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014527:Uric Acid; D007501:Iron; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase