Direct modulation of hepatocyte hepcidin signaling by iron

Figure 4 Ferric ammonium citrate efficiently blocks cytokine-mediated hepcidin expression. Huh7 cells were treated with or without IL-1β (10 ng/mL) or IL-6 (10 ng/mL) in the presence or absence of ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) (50 μmol/L) for 24 h. Total RNA was extracted from Huh7 cells. A: FAC significantly decreased IL-1β-induced hepcidin mRNA expression; B: FAC efficiently blocks IL-6-induced hepcidin mRNA expression. Hepcidin mRNA levels were determined by qRT-PCR, normalized to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Data are presented as mean ± SD. ^bP < 0.01, ^cP < 0.001 vs control; ^dP < 0.05, ^eP < 0.001 vs IL-6 group. IL-1β: Interleukin 1β; IL-6: Interleukin 6; FAC: Ferric ammonium citrate; GAPDH: Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase.