Hepatitis C virus interference via hepcidin synthesis
Monday, April 12, 2010 - 12:14
in Health & Medicine
Iron overload, a common feature of chronic liver disorders, has been linked with oxidative DNA damage, insulin resistance and liver steatosis, and with triggering of hepatic stellate cells thus inducing liver fibrosis. Recently, a key iron regulatory hormone, hepcidin, was discovered. This hormone has been found to suppress intestinal absorption of iron through its binding to ferroportin. Hepcidin is synthesized in the liver from its precursor protein, prohepcidin.