Hepcidin regulation: ironing out the details

Abstract

Hepcidin is a peptide hormone secreted by the liver that plays a central role in the regulation of iron homeostasis. Increased hepcidin levels result in anemia while decreased expression is the causative feature in most primary iron overload diseases. Mutations in hemochromatosis type 2 (HFE2), which encodes the protein hemojuvelin (HJV), result in the absence of hepcidin and an early-onset form of iron overload disease. HJV is a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) coreceptor and HJV mutants have impaired BMP signaling. In this issue of the JCI, Babitt and colleagues show that BMPs are autocrine hormones that induce hepcidin expression (see the related article beginning on page 1933). Administration of a recombinant, soluble form of HJV decreased hepcidin expression and increased serum iron levels by mobilizing iron from splenic stores. These results demonstrate that recombinant HJV may be a useful therapeutic agent for treatment of the anemia of chronic disease, a disorder resulting from high levels of hepcidin expression.

Figure 1. Hepcidin-mediated regulation of iron homeostasis.

(A) Increased hepcidin expression by the liver results from inflammatory stimuli. High levels of hepcidin in the bloodstream result in the internalization and degradation of the iron exporter ferroportin. Loss of cell surface ferroportin results in macrophage iron loading, low plasma iron levels, and decreased erythropoiesis due to decreased transferrin-bound iron. The decreased erythropoiesis gives rise to the anemia of chronic disease. (B) Normal hepcidin levels, in response to iron demand, regulate the level of iron import into plasma, normal transferrin saturation, and normal levels of erythropoiesis. (C) Hemochromatosis, or iron overload, results from insufficient hepcidin levels, causing increased iron import into plasma, high transferrin saturation, and excess iron deposition in the liver.

Figure 2. Transcriptional regulation of hepcidin by the BMP/Smad pathway.

Hepcidin transcription depends upon signaling through BMP receptors (BMP-Rs) and downstream Smads. BMPs can act as autocrine or paracrine hormones. Binding of BMP to cell surface HJV positions BMP to activate BMP receptors. Activation of BMP receptors leads to the generation of phosphorylated RSmads, which dimerize with Smad4. The RSmad/Smad4 heterodimer translocates into the nucleus and activates transcription of the HAMP gene, which encodes hepcidin. Soluble HJV binding to BMP prevents the formation of a cell surface BMP-HJV complex and blocks activation of BMP receptors. Inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 bind to IL-6 receptors (IL-6Rs), activating Stat3, which also binds to the HAMP promoter. Stat3 activation requires the presence of Smad4, as deletion of the Smad4 gene prevents IL-6 induction of hepcidin. Smad4 is downstream of TFR2 and HFE, which suggests that the signal provided by these proteins also activates the HAMP promoter or that these membrane proteins affect BMP receptor signal transmission. In their study in this issue of the JCI, Babitt and colleagues demonstrate in vivo that soluble HJV binds BMPs produced by the liver, leading to alteration in iron homeostasis (3).