Serum hepcidin and growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) levels in polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia.
OBJECTIVES
Hepcidin plays a regulatory role in systemic iron homeostasis. GDF-15 has been found to be expressed from matured erythroblasts and very high levels of GDF-15 suppresses hepcidin secretion. In this study, we evaluated hepcidin and GDF-15 levels in polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET).


METHODS
The study included 29 patients and 21 healthy controls. The patient group included 13 patients with ET and 16 patients with PV. Serum hepcidin and GDF-15 levels were measured at the time of diagnosis, before the initiation of any therapy.


RESULTS
Hepcidin levels did not differ significantly in patients with chronic myeloproliferative disease (CMPD) and healthy controls. However, GDF-15 levels were significantly increased in patients with CMPD (P = 0.038). No difference could be found between patients with PV and ET in terms of hepcidin and GDF-15 levels. Patients with JAK2-V617F mutation had increased GDF-15 levels when compared with patients without this mutation (P: 0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
The levels of GDF-15 were higher in CMPD, which are characterized by increased erythropoiesis, and this effect was more pronounced particularly in individuals with JAK2-V617F mutation. Hepcidin levels were not suppressed despite the increased erythroid activity and GDF-15 levels may be protective against the clinical complications of the disease such as thrombosis. This study revealed that, hepcidin levels were not suppressed despite increased erythroid activity and high GDF-15 levels in CMPD. We hypothesized that, this may be an attempt to prevent further amplification of erythropoietic activity by reducing iron utilization.
['Tarkun|Pinar|P|', 'Mehtap|Ozgur|O|', 'Atesoğlu|Elif B|EB|', 'Geduk|Ayfer|A|', 'Musul|Mahmut M|MM|', 'Hacihanefioglu|Abdullah|A|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D016022:Case-Control Studies D005260:Female D055436:Growth Differentiation Factor 15 D064451:Hepcidins D006801:Humans D053614:Janus Kinase 2 D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D009154:Mutation D011087:Polycythemia Vera D013920:Thrombocythemia, Essential
hepcidin growth differentiation factor-15 polycythemia vera essential thrombocythemia