Anemia of inflammation: the cytokine-hepcidin link

J Clin Invest. 2004 May;113(9):1251-3. doi: 10.1172/JCI21441.

Abstract

The anemia of inflammation, commonly observed in patients with chronic infections, malignancy, trauma, and inflammatory disorders, is a well-known clinical entity. Until recently, we understood little about its pathogenesis. It now appears that the inflammatory cytokine IL-6 induces production of hepcidin, an iron-regulatory hormone that may be responsible for most or all of the features of this disorder.

Publication types

  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Anemia / etiology*
  • Animals
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / biosynthesis*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytokines / metabolism*
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism
  • Hepcidins
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / complications
  • Inflammation / metabolism*
  • Interleukin-6 / metabolism*
  • Interleukin-6 / pharmacology
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Iron / metabolism
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological

Substances

  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • Cytokines
  • HAMP protein, human
  • Hamp protein, mouse
  • Hepcidins
  • Interleukin-6
  • Iron