Differential regulation of hepcidin in cancer and non-cancer tissues and its clinical implications

Hepcidin is a crucial peptide for regulating cellular iron efflux. Because iron is essential for cell survival, especially for highly active cells, such as tumor cells, it is imperative to understand how tumor cells manipulate hepcidin expression for their own metabolic needs. Studies suggest that hepcidin expression and regulation in tumor cells show important differences in comparison with those in non-tumorous cells. These differences should be investigated to develop new strategies to fight cancer cells. Manipulating hepcidin expression to starve cancer cells for iron may prove to be a new therapy in the anticancer arsenal. Investigating the activity of the molecule hepcidin, involved in iron transfer across cell membranes, could offer new ways to treat cancer. Hepcidin is a small protein that can inhibit the release of iron from cells. Driton Vela and Zana Vela-Gaxha at the University of Prishtina in Kosova review differences in hepcidin production and regulation in cancer cells and normal cells. They also discuss molecular signaling mechanisms controlling hepcidin production. Hepcidin levels are increased in most types of cancer cells, reflecting their increased need for iron. In some cancers, however, hepcidin levels are lower than normal, indicating its role is subtle and not uniform across all types of cancer. The authors conclude that manipulating hepcidin levels to starve cells of iron could offer a new strategy in the fight against cancer.