Jun

14

2022

What controls hepcidin levels?

By William Aird

  • Iron levels
    • Iron increases hepcidin levels.
    • Represents a feedback mechanism to maintain stable body iron levels.
  • Inflammation 
    • Leads to increased hepcidin levels.
    • Represents a host defense mechanism to limit extracellular iron availability to microbes.
  • Erythropoiesis
    • Increased erythroid activity leads to decreased hepcidin levels.
    • Ensures iron supply for erythropoiesis.
    • Erythropoietic drive overrides both iron sensing and inflammation sensing mechanisms to control hepcidin levels.