[New insights on hepcidin in anemia of chronic disease].

Anemia of chronic disease is normocytic and normochromic. One of the mechanisms is misbalance of iron metabolism. Hepcidin, a kind of protein secreted by liver is considered to be the hormone regulating iron metabolism. It binds to ferroportin and induces the latter one's internalization. Thus, iron transportation from iron storage cells to serum is reduced. Cytokines are elevated in chronic disease. They stimulate hepcidin expression in liver through JAK2/STAT3 pathway. As a result, iron absorption and reabsorption is blocked, which leads to the misbalance of iron metabolism in anemia of chronic disease. In this article, the hepcidin and its relation to iron metabolism and anemia in chronic disease are reviewed.