OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of how iron-regulatory protein (hepcidin) affect iron overload in alcoholic liver disease (ALD).

METHODSThirty male wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: Lieber-Decarli liquid without alcohol group (control group), Lieber-Decarli liquid with alcohol (alcohol group) and hepcidin intraperitoneally injected group (hepcidin group), each rat was fed for 6 weeks. The Serum concentration of Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Amino Transferase (AST), Iron, Total Iron Binding capacity (TIBC), Ferritin, Malonyl Dialdehyde (MDA) and Hepcidin were determined. Hepatic tissue was examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining, prussian blue iron staining and immunohistochemistry staining.

RESULTS(1) Serum concentration of ALT in control group, alcohol group and hepcidin group were (25.2 ± 4.6) U/L, (37.9 ± 14.3) U/L and (40.9 ± 14.1) U/L (F = 4.907, P < 0.05), respectively. Serum AST among three groups were (32.3 ± 13.4) U/L, (55.0 ± 18.6) U/L and (48.3 ± 26.0) U/L (F = 3.742, P < 0.05), respectively. The secretions of ferritin were (224.72 ± 85.49) ng/ml, (345.59 ± 124.75) ng/ml and (339.47 ± 138.47) ng/ml (F = 3.539, P < 0.05). The serum concentrations of TIBC were (147.30 ± 31.98) μmol/L, (148.04 ± 58.74) μmol/L and (143.28 ± 37.38) μmol/L (F = 1.209, P > 0.05), respectively. The serum concentrations of iron were (55.64 ± 13.32) μmol/L, (60.37 ± 25.89) μmol/L and (49.77 ± 17.64) μmol/L (F = 0.651, P > 0.05), respectively. The serum concentration of MDA were (5.84 ± 2.17) nmol/ml, (6.51 ± 2.23) nmol/ml and (4.27 ± 2.68) nmol/ml (F = 2.782, P > 0.05), respectively. The serum concentration of Hepcidin were (155.96 ± 44.91)ng/ml, (124.11 ± 31.98) ng/ml and (114.96 ± 25.81) ng/ml (F = 3.839, P < 0.05), respectively. (2) Significant fat change observed in the liver of alcohol group. The positive granulations of iron staining were (0.8 ± 1.0), (1.2 ± 1.6) and (1.1 ± 1.1) (F = 0.254, P > 0.05), respectively. No differences found of liver iron express among the three groups. Intraperitoneal injection of hepcidin increased hepcidin expression in liver which was inhibited by alcohol (F = 4.139, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSALD rats with lower hepcidin expression in liver can result in iron metabolism disorder. Ectogenic hepcidin can protect liver against alcohol damage by inhibiting lipid peroxidation.