Low Serum Hepcidin in Patients with Autoimmune Liver Diseases.
Hepcidin, a liver hormone, is important for both innate immunity and iron metabolism regulation. As dysfunction of the hepcidin pathway may contribute to liver pathology, we analysed liver hepcidin mRNA and serum hepcidin in patients with chronic liver diseases. Hepcidin mRNA levels were determined in liver biopsies obtained from 126 patients with HCV (n = 21), HBV (n = 23), autoimmune cholestatic disease (primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis; PBC/PSC; n = 34), autoimmune hepatitis (AIH; n = 16) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD; n = 32). Sera sampled on the biopsy day from the same patients were investigated for serum hepcidin levels. Hepatic hepcidin mRNA levels correlated positively with ferritin and negatively with serum γ-GT levels. However, no correlation was found between serum hepcidin and either ferritin or liver hepcidin mRNA. Both serum hepcidin and the serum hepcidin/ferritin ratio were significantly lower in AIH and PBC/PSC patients' sera compared to HBV, HCV or NAFLD (P<0.001 for each comparison) and correlated negatively with serum ALP levels. PBC/PSC and AIH patients maintained low serum hepcidin during the course of their two-year long treatment. In summary, parallel determination of liver hepcidin mRNA and serum hepcidin in patients with chronic liver diseases shows that circulating hepcidin and its respective ratio to ferritin are significantly diminished in patients with autoimmune liver diseases. These novel findings, once confirmed by follow-up studies involving bigger size and better-matched disease subgroups, should be taken into consideration during diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune liver diseases.
Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece; Institute for Research & Technology-Thessaly (IRETETH), Larissa, Greece.
Aggeliki
A
Lyberopoulou
Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece; Institute for Research & Technology-Thessaly (IRETETH), Larissa, Greece.
Georgia
G
Chachami
Department of Medicine & Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
Nikolaos K
NK
Gatselis
Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunobiotechnology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece.
Eleni
E
Kyratzopoulou
Department of Medicine & Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
Asterios
A
Saitis
Department of Medicine & Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
Stella
S
Gabeta
Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunobiotechnology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece.
Petros
P
Eliades
Laboratory of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
Efrosini
E
Paraskeva
Department of Medicine & Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
Kalliopi
K
Zachou
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
George K
GK
Koukoulis
Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunobiotechnology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece.
Avgi
A
Mamalaki
Department of Medicine & Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
George N
GN
Dalekos
Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece; Institute for Research & Technology-Thessaly (IRETETH), Larissa, Greece.
George
G
Simos
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015209:Cholangitis, Sclerosing / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D019693:Hepatitis, Autoimmune / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D064451:Hepcidins / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology
C578702:HAMP protein, human; D064451:Hepcidins; D005293:Ferritins