title: Presence of hepcidin-25 in biological fluids: bile, ascitic and pleural fluids.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine body fluids such as ascitic fluid (AF), saliva, bile and pleural effusions for the presence of hepcidin using a novel radioimmunoassay (RIA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were collected from 25 healthy volunteers (mean age: 36 +/- 11.9 years, 11 males, 14 females). In addition bile was obtained from 12 patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (mean age: 66.9 +/- 16.7 years, M:F = 5:7). Saliva was collected from 17 healthy volunteers (mean age: 35 +/- 9.9 years, M:F = 8:9). Pleural and AF were collected from 11 and 16 patients [(mean age: 72 +/- 20.5 years, M:F = 7:4) and (mean age: 67.32 +/- 15.2 years, M:F = 12:4)], respectively. All biological fluid samples (serum, exudative and transudative fluids) were tested for the presence of hepcidin-25 molecule using RIA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hepcidin-25 was detected in all biological fluids tested. The mean +/- SD hepcidin-25 in serum was 15.68 +/- 15.7 ng/mL, bile 7.37 +/- 7.4 ng/mL, saliva 3.4 +/- 2.8 ng/mL, exudative fluid 65.64 +/- 96.82 ng/mL and transudative fluid 14.1 +/- 17.8 ng/mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We provide clear evidence that hepcidin-25 is present in bile, saliva, pleural and ascitic fluids. Hepcidin is likely to play a role here in innate immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ealing Hospital NHS Trust, Uxbridge Road, London UB1 3HW, United Kingdom. jayanthaarnold@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jayantha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Arvind
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sangwaiya
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Manglam
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Geoghegan
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thursz
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Busbridge
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D001646:Bile / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D064451:Hepcidins; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000378:metabolism; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D064451:Hepcidins; C545475:hepcidin 25, human