Beyond anemia: hepcidin, monocytes and inflammation.

Hepcidin is an iron regulatory protein mainly synthesized by the liver. Hepatocyte production of hepcidin is responsible for serum hepcidin, is responsive to body iron stores, and is critical for maintaining iron homeostasis. Monocytes and macrophages also express hepcidin, and in contrast to the liver, hepcidin expression is primarily regulated by inflammatory mediators and infectious agents. Monocyte and macrophage hepcidin is likely to be more important on a local rather than systemic level, contributes to host defense and may modulate inflammatory processes. This review summarizes recent findings and hypotheses on the relationship of hepcidin to the mononuclear phagocyte system.