title: Hepcidin: regulation of the master iron regulator.
abstract: Iron, an essential nutrient, is required for many diverse biological processes. The absence of a defined pathway to excrete excess iron makes it essential for the body to regulate the amount of iron absorbed; a deficiency could lead to iron deficiency and an excess to iron overload and associated disorders such as anaemia and haemochromatosis respectively. This regulation is mediated by the iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin. Hepcidin binds to the only known iron export protein, ferroportin (FPN), inducing its internalization and degradation, thus limiting the amount of iron released into the blood. The major factors that are implicated in hepcidin regulation include iron stores, hypoxia, inflammation and erythropoiesis. The present review summarizes our present knowledge about the molecular mechanisms and signalling pathways contributing to hepcidin regulation by these factors.
authors.affiliation: The Membrane Transport Laboratory, The QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: Gautam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rishi
authors.affiliation: The Membrane Transport Laboratory, The QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.affiliation: The Membrane Transport Laboratory, The QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia Nathan.Subramaniam@qimrberghofer.edu.au.
authors.forename: V Nathan
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Subramaniam
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000378:metabolism; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D064451:Hepcidins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051785:Smad Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism; D000098742:Ferroportin
chemical_list: D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; D064451:Hepcidins; D051785:Smad Proteins; D014168:Transferrin; D000098742:Ferroportin; D004921:Erythropoietin; D007501:Iron
keywords: erythropoiesis; hepcidin; hypoxia; inflammation; iron