HCV infection has been implicated in iron accumulation in the liver and iron overload has been shown to be a potential cofactor for HCVassociated hepatocellular carcinoma progression.Hepcidin produced by hepatocytes, is a key regulator of iron metabolism. Alteration of Hepcidin expression levels has been reported in the setting of chronic HCV infection and hepatocellular carcinoma.
The aim of the work is to assess the serum concentration of hepcidin in chronic hepatitis C patients and evaluate any possible association with the viral load after therapy. Ourstudy was carried on50 patients with chronic hepatitisC.Hepcidin levels were evaluated for Hepcidin before starting the antiviral therapy treatment (group A) and after 24 weeks course of antiviral therapy(group B)with a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay kitin addition to 20 healthy volunteers with matched age and sex as control group.As regard serum Hepcidin level, there was a highly statistical significant differencebetween control and patient group.Hepcidin concentrations in patients with CHC were relatively low compared to HCV negative individuals. Highly statistical significant (p-value > 0.05) positive correlation (r = 0.67) between Hepcidin before and after treatment in patients group. In conclusion Chronic HCV infection is associated with reduced level of hepcidin. The level of hepcidin was fully reversible after antiviral therapy.Initial rise in serum hepcidin concentration might have a potential for being used as one of the indicators of patient response to therapy.