Influence of hepcidin on iron homeostasis during last trimester of gestation in Bos indicus (cattle)

Hepcidin is an important hormone regulating the systemic iron bio-availability. Blood samples were collected from thirty pregnant cattle during their last trimester of pregnancy to assess the relation of hepcidin to iron homeostasis. Serum hepcidin level was quantified using ELISA and serum iron, transferrin iron binding capacity and unsaturated iron binding capacity were estimated by colorimetric method. Correlation between hepcidin and other iron related parameters was assessed. Dependency of serum iron level on hepcidin was also determined by regression method. It was revealed that hepcidin was negatively correlated to serum iron and transferrin iron binding capacity (p< 0.001) and also hepcidin has highest predictive value on serum iron level and transferrin iron binding capacity (p< 0.001). It can be concluded that during pregnancy increase in hepcidin reduces the maternal serum iron and also it is a biomarker for iron bioavailability to the developing fetus.