Hepcidin: A potent antimicrobial peptide involved in iron homeostasis

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are involved in the innate immunity of human body to battle microbial pathogens. In addition, human AMPs play also an important role in several biological procedures included cell proliferation, soft tissue damage healing and control of immune response. Hepcidin is a cysteine-rich 25-amino acid AMP produced by the liver and plays an important role in the control of iron homeostasis in the human body. Furthermore, its principal role in iron regulation, hepcidin is also an AMP with wide-spectrum antimicrobial effects on Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi without triggering side effects in mammalian cells. Significantly, the bactericidal properties of hepcidin are dependent on the integrity of the disulfide bridges and precise folding of hepcidin. The aims of present study were review the biological effects specially role in iron homeostasis and antimicrobial effects of hepcidin.