Natalia Ziaja, Dorota Bartusik-Aebisher and David Aebisher
Medical College of The University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów,Poland

Part of the book: The Biochemical Guide to Hormones

Abstract

Hepcidin is a protein hormone, determines the proper iron metabolism and the availability of this metal in the body. Thanks to its detection, it became possible to link mechanisms related to inflammation and anemia. It has been shown that too much iron in the brain, associated with hepcidin deficiency, may contribute to the occurrence of degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease. Lack of iron (Fe3+) leads to pathological deposition of deposits in the organs, which results in the occurrence of neurological disorders. Research shows that an increase in hepcidin in the brain regulates the expression of iron transporting protein in astrocytes, neurons and the blood-brain barrier.

Keywords: hepcidin, hormone, ceruloplasmin, hepcidin-ferroportin axis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease

References

Agarwal A K, Yee J. Hepcidin. Adv. Chronic Kidney Dis. 2019 Jul;26(4):298-305.
Billesbølle C B, Azumaya C M, Kretsch R C, Powers A S, Gonen S, Schneider S, Arvedson
T, Dror R O, Cheng Y, Manglik A. Structure of hepcidin-bound ferroportin reveals
iron homeostatic mechanisms. Nature. 2020 Oct;586(7831):807-811.
Ginzburg Y Z. Hepcidin-ferroportin axis in health and disease. Vitam. Horm. 2019;110:17-45.
Saneela S, Iqbal R, Raza A, Qamar M F. Hepcidin: A key regulator of iron. J. Pak. Med.
Assoc. 2019 Aug;69(8):1170-1175. PMID: 31431773.
Silvestri L, Nai A, Dulja A, Pagani A. Hepcidin and the BMP-SMAD pathway: An
unexpected liaison. Vitam. Horm. 2019;110:71-99.