Hepatic iron overload in patients with alcoholic liver disease is due to inadequate hepcidin induction

Aims: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) leads to secondary iron overload in more than 50% patients that is considered a major factor in the progression of fibrosis and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepcidin is the major systemic iron sensor in mammals and typically induced under conditions of iron overload. Hepcidin blocks duodenal iron absorption and the release of iron by inflammatory cells. Suppressed hepcidin levels have been recently reported from animals chronically exposed to alcohol. Methods and results: Using cDNA microarray platform containing over 250 iron relevant genes (IRON CHIP), we fir…