Hepcidin-mediated hypoferremic response to acute inflammation requires a threshold of Bmp6/Hjv/Smad signaling (original) (raw)

Systemic iron balance is controlled by hepcidin, a liver hormone that limits iron efflux to the bloodstream by promoting degradation of the iron exporter ferroportin in target cells. Iron-dependent hepcidin induction requires hemojuvelin (HJV), a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) coreceptor that is disrupted in juvenile hemochromatosis, causing dramatic hepcidin deficiency and tissue iron overload. Hjv−/− mice recapitulate phenotypic hallmarks of hemochromatosis but exhibit blunted hepcidin induction following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration. We show that Hjv−/− mice fail to mount an appropriate hypoferremic response to acute inflammation caused by LPS, the lipopeptide FSL1, or Escherichia coli infection because residual hepcidin does not suffice to drastically decrease macrophage ferroportin levels. Hfe−/− mice, a model of milder hemochromatosis, exhibit almost wild-type inflammatory hepcidin expression and associated effects, whereas double Hjv−/−Hfe−/− mice phenocopy singl...

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