title: Hepcidin expression in psoriasis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Iron is an essential nutrient for mammals. Accelerated loss of nutrients through hyperproliferation and desquamation from the skin in psoriasis is known. Hepcidin is an important and recently discovered regulator of iron homeostasis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was undertaken to investigate the hepcidin expression in psoriasis patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined peripheral blood cell counts, serum Fe, ferritin, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and hepcidin levels using respectively automated hematology analyzer, Iron assay on the AEROSET system, chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay with automated analyzer, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The independent comparison of Fe, ferritin, IL-6 and hepcidin levels in psoriasis patients and control group (healthy volunteers) revealed lower Fe and higher IL-6, hepcidin levels in psoriasis patients. No significant difference was seen in the ferritin level between the psoriasis and the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We think that studies on hepcidin expression in psoriatic plaques will contribute to our understanding the role of iron and hepcidin in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Medical Faculty Hospital, Rize, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nursel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dilek
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Medical Faculty Hospital, Rize, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aziz Ramazan
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Dilek
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Medical Faculty Hospital, Rize, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kazim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Black Sea Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Neşe
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kaklıkkaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Medical Faculty Hospital, Rize, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yunus
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saral
keywords: Ferritin; hepcidin; iron; psoriasis