Hepcidin has been implicated as the iron stores regulator: a hepatic signaling molecule that regulates intestinal iron absorption by undefined mechanisms. The possibility that hepcidin regulates the expression of ferroportin 1 (FPT1), the basolateral iron transporter, was examined in rats after administration of LPS, an iron chelator, or His-tagged recombinant hepcidin (His-rHepc). In the liver...

The HFE protein plays a crucial role in the control of cellular iron homeostasis. Steatosis is commonly observed in HFE-related iron-overload disorders, and current evidence suggests a causal link between iron and steatosis. Here, we investigated the potential contribution of HFE mutations to hepatic lipid metabolism and its role in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Wild-typ...

BACKGROUND: Beta thalassemia major requires regular blood transfusions and iron chelation to alleviate the harmful accumulation of iron. Evidence on the efficacy and safety of the available agents, desferrioxamine and deferiprone, is derived from small, non-comparative, heterogeneous observational studies. This evidence was reviewed to quantitatively compare the ability of these chelators to re...

Acute iron intoxication (FeI) in humans has not been adequately studied. The manifestation of FeI, defined as a serum iron concentration >300 μg/dL (55 μmol/L) within 12 hours of ingestion, include various symptoms appearing in progressive stages. Systemic toxicity is expected with an intake of 60 mg/kg. A 27-year-old female nurse presented with unintended acute intravenous iron intoxication (F...

Several clinical studies have suggested that excess hepatic iron accumulation is a progressive factor in some liver diseases including chronic viral hepatitis and hemochromatosis. However, it is not known whether iron-induced hepatotoxicity may be directly involved in hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. The Long-Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rat, which accumulates excess copper in the liver as in pa...

BACKGROUND Increased hepatic iron is assumed to potentiate progression towards liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In this study we have evaluated the potentiating effect of marked hepatic iron overload and chronic HCV infection on hepatic fibrosis in thalassemic patients. METHODS Liver biopsies of one group of patients with beta thalassemia major and chronic HCV infe...

We analyzed data from the first study of iron overload in Africans, conducted between 1925 and 1928, to determine whether this common condition is associated with death from hepatocellular carcinoma and/or tuberculosis. In the original study, necropsies were performed on 714 adult blacks from southern Africa. Hepatic and splenic iron levels were measured semiquantitatively in 604 subjects and o...

Aging may be related to oxidative damage accumulation and a low-grade inflammation, both responses are modulated by iron and phytochemicals. This study investigated the effect of tucum-do-cerrado (Bactris setosa Mart.) consumption on the expression of sirtuins (SIRT 1 and 3) and senescence marker protein-30 (SMP30), and on the redox and inflammatory responses, in adult rats supplemented or not ...

Accumulating evidence suggests that ezetimibe may be a promising agent for treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and steatohepatitis (NAFLD/NASH). Phlebotomy and dietary iron restriction reduce serum transaminase in NAFLD/NASH patients. Recent studies have shown that a mutual effect exists between lipid metabolism and iron metabolism. Accordingly, we examined the effect of ezetimibe on ...

INTRODUCTION We have examined iron biodistribution and hepatic gene expression in rats following administration of the generic Iron Sucrose Azad (ISA) or the reference iron sucrose drug Venofer®. METHODS ISA and Venofer® were administered intravenously to normal, non-anemic, male rats at 15 mg/kg (a supra-therapeutic dose-level). To evaluate biodistribution, tissue iron levels were determined...