title: Association of hepcidin mRNA expression with hepatocyte iron accumulation and effects of antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis C infection.
abstract: Iron overload is frequently observed in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and is associated with the increased risk of liver fibrosis and carcinogenesis. Hepcidin is a regulator of iron homeostasis and a component of innate immunity. Based on experimental studies, iron overload might be a result of low hepcidin synthesis in CHC.
  
  
  
  The aim of this case-control study was to assess hepcidin mRNA expression in liver tissue of patients with CHC in terms of iron metabolism parameters, hemochromatosis (HFE) gene mutations, disease activity, and efficacy of antiviral treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin.
  
  
  
  A total of 31 patients with CHC, who were qualified for antiviral therapy, were compared with 19 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). In both groups, liver function tests and serum iron parameters were assayed and hepcidin mRNA expression was measured in liver specimens using real time PCR with normalization to reference genes mRNA of stable expression.
  
  
  
  Patients with CHC had lower hepcidin mRNA expression and more frequently iron deposits in hepatocytes than subjects with CHB did. In CHC group, hepcidin mRNA expression was positively correlated with alanine aminotransferase activity and serum iron concentration. Low expression of hepcidin had no correlation with tissue iron overload in those with CHC. In univariate analysis, HCV viral load and efficacy of antiviral treatment were not significantly associated with hepcidin mRNA expression.
  
  
  
  Further studies on the role of hepcidin in pathogenesis of CHC are needed to assess the potency of its use in antiviral treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sikorska
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Romanowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stalke
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Neuropathology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Izycka Swieszewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof Piotr
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Bielawski
keywords: Hepatitis C; Hepcidin; Interferon-alpha; Iron Overload; Liver