Hepcidin plays a negative role in liver regeneration

• Published in: Acta biochimica et biophysica Sinica 2013-12, Vol.45 (12), p.1049-1054
• Main Authors: Wang, Liqiong, Gao, Feng, Yang, Fang, Wei, Zhimin, Zou, Chenggang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies - immunology; Antibodies - pharmacology; Cell Proliferation; Gene Expression - drug effects; Gene Expression - genetics; Hepatectomy - methods; Hepatocyte Growth Factor - blood; Hepatocyte Growth Factor - immunology; Hepatocytes - cytology; Hepatocytes - metabolism; Hepcidins - genetics; Hepcidins - physiology; Immunohistochemistry; Interleukin-6 - blood; Iron - blood; Liver Regeneration - genetics; Liver Regeneration - physiology; Male; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen - metabolism; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Time Factors; 再生过程; 增殖细胞核抗原; 病原体感染; 肝再生; 肝细胞生长因子; 肝脏再生; 调节因子; 铁代谢
• ISSN: 1672-9145; 1745-7270
• DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmt107

Hepcidin is a key regulator of iron metabolism. The expres- sion of hepcidin is significantly induced by iron overload, inflammation, and infection of pathogens. Recent studies have indicated that the expression of hepcidin in the liver is also regulated during liver regeneration. However, the mechanism of the regulation of hepcidin expression and its role in liver regeneration remain unclear. In this study, we found that the hepatocyte growth factor inhibited hepcidin expression in the liver during the late stage of liver regener- ation. Meanwhile, we investigated the effect of hepcidin on liver regeneration. Mice overexpressing hepcidin-1 exhib- ited impaired hepatic regeneration after partial hepatect- omy, as determined by immunohistochemieal staining of the proliferation cell nuclear antigen. Our results demon- strated a negative role of hepcidin in modulating liver re- generation, and suggested that a sustained high iron level by the down-regulation of hepcidin at the late stage of liver regeneration is required for hepatocyte proliferation.