The role of hepcidin, GDF15, and mitoferrin-1 in iron metabolism of polycythemia vera and essential thrombocytosis patients

Abstract

Background/aim: GDF15, hepcidin and mitoferrin-1 (mfrn-1) are proteins involved in systemic iron regulation. There are no studiesin the literature demonstrating the serum mfrn-1 levels in polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET) patients. Theaim of this study was to investigate GDF15, hepcidin and mfrn-1 levels in PV and ET patients.Materials and methods: Ten PV, 17 ET patients, and 27 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. GDF15, hepcidin and mfrn-1 values weremeasured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results: GDF15 levels were higher in the myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) group (P = 0.002). Hepcidin levels were not differentbetween MPN patients and HCs. The mfrn-1 levels were lower in MPN patients (P = 0.039). Hepcidin, GDF15, and mfrn-1 levels werenot different between PV and ET patients. mfrn-1 levels were lower in ET patients than HCs (P = 0.038).Conclusion: Increased erythropoiesis in MPNs may lead to high GDF15 levels in these patients. However, hepcidin was not suppresseddespite the increased GDF15 levels and erythropoiesis in these patients. Decrease in mfrn-1 in MPNs can be the result of its increasedturnover due to increased myelopoiesis. It can be hypothesized that similar hepcidin levels in patients and controls and low mfrn-1levels in patients may be a defense mechanism against erythroid activity and thromboembolic complications.