title: [The role of iron and hepcidin in hepatic fibrosis].
abstract: Liver iron overload can be found in a number of different chronic liver diseases. Iron is proposed to play a role in promoting hepatic fibrosis by various mechanisms, including iron-catalyzed production of free radical and lipid peroxidation, alteration of essential biomolecules, triggering cell apoptosis and necrosis, and activation and transformation of the hepatic stellate cell into a myofibroblastic cell. Recent evidences demonstrate that the decrease of hepcidin, a 25-amino acid peptide produced by the hepatocytes, may play a significant role in promoting hepatic iron overload in various chronic liver diseases. Therefore, the supplemental hepcidin therapy may reduce liver iron concentration. Hepcidin or hepcidin-related therapeutics could find a place in the treatment of various iron overload diseases and hepatic fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of anatomy, Shaoyang Medical College, Shaoyang 422001, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Ying
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yan-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D064451:Hepcidins; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000188:drug therapy; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; C578702:HAMP protein, human; D064451:Hepcidins; D007501:Iron