Hepcidin 3352829 215495766 2008-05-28T13:28:24Z DOI bot 6652755 Citation maintenance. You can [[WP:DOI|use this bot]] yourself! Please [[User:DOI_bot/bugs|report any bugs]]. {{Pfam_box | Symbol = Hepcidin | Name = Hepcidin | image = | width = | caption = | Pfam= PF06446 | InterPro= IPR010500 | SMART= | Prosite = | SCOP = 1m4f | TCDB = | OPM family= | OPM protein= 1m4e | PDB= {{PDB3|1m4f}}A:60-84 {{PDB3|1m4e}}A:65-84 }} {{protein |Name=[[HAMP|hepcidin antimicrobial peptide]] |caption= |image= |width= |HGNCid=15598 |Symbol=[[HAMP]] |AltSymbols= |EntrezGene=57817 |OMIM=606464 |RefSeq=NM_021175 |UniProt=P81172 |PDB= |ECnumber= |Chromosome=19 |Arm=q |Band=13.1 |LocusSupplementaryData= }} {{Protbox finish}} '''Hepcidin''' is a recently discovered [[peptide hormone]] produced by the [[liver]], that appears to be the master regulator of [[human iron metabolism|iron homeostasis]] in humans and other [[mammal]]s.<ref>Ganz T. [http://www.bloodjournal.org/cgi/content/full/102/3/783 Hepcidin, a key regulator of iron metabolism and mediator of anemia of inflammation. ''[[Blood (journal)|Blood]]'' 2003;102:783-788.] PMID 12663437.</ref> ''[[HAMP]]'' is the [[gene]] that encodes for hepcidin. ==Function== Hepcidin directly inhibits [[ferroportin]], a protein that transports iron out of cells that store it. Thus, it maintains [[iron homeostasis]]. Several mutations in hepcidin result in [[juvenile hemochromatosis]]. The majority of juvenile hemochromatosis cases are due to mutations in [[hemojuvelin]], a regulator of hepcidin production. Hepcidin has shown fairly consistent [[antifungal]] activity. Hepcidin's [[antibacterial]] activity currently seems to be inconsistent. The current scientific evidence suggests that hepcidin is a central regulatory hormone and its main action is to regulate systemic iron homeostasis. ==History== The peptide that would later become known as hepcidin was first reported as LEAP-1, for Liver-Expressed Antimicrobial Protein <ref>Krausse A. ''[http://insert_link_when_NBCI_works_again LEAP-1 a novel highly disulphide-bonded human peptide, exhibits antimicrobial activity]'' *note please insert citation, NCBI is down and has been for several minutes*</ref>. Independently, in a search for [[antimicrobial peptides]], researchers working in the lab of Tomas Ganz discovered a peptide associated with inflammation, and named it "hepcidin" after observing that it was produced in the liver ("hep-") and appeared to have bacteriocidal properties ("-cidin" for "killing")<ref>Park CH, Valore EV, Waring AJ, Ganz T.''[http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/cgi/ijlink?linkType=ABST&journalCode=jbc&resid=276/11/7806 Hepcidin, a Urinary Antimicrobial Peptide Synthesized in the Liver.]'' J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 276, Issue 11, 7806-7810, March 16, 2001</ref>. Both groups were focused on the antimicrobial properties of the peptide. Soon after this discovery, researchers discovered that hepcidin production in [[mouse|mice]] increased in conditions of iron overload as well as in inflammation. [[Genetically modified organism|Genetically modified]] mice engineered to overexpress hepcidin died shortly after birth with severe iron deficiency, again suggesting a central and not redundant role in iron regulation. The first evidence that linked hepcidin to the clinical condition known as the [[anemia of chronic disease|anemia of inflammation]] came from the lab of Nancy Andrews in Boston when researchers looked at tissue from two patients with liver [[tumor]]s with a severe [[microcytic anemia]] that did not respond to iron supplementation. The tumor tissue appeared to be overproducing hepcidin, and contained large quantities of hepcidin [[messenger RNA|mRNA]]. Removing the tumors surgically cured the anemia. Taken together, these discoveries suggested that hepcidin regulated the release of iron in the body. ==External links== * {{cite journal |author=Camaschella C |title=Understanding iron homeostasis through genetic analysis of hemochromatosis and related disorders |journal=Blood |volume=106 |issue=12 |pages=3710–7 |year=2005 |pmid=16030190 |doi=10.1182/blood-2005-05-1857}} * {{MeshName|hepcidin}} [[Category:Blood]] [[Category:Hematology]] [[Category:Hepatology]] [[Category:Peptide hormones]] ==References== <div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;"> <references /> </div> {{Iron metabolism}} [[de:Hepcidin]] [[es:Hepcidina]]