<div>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&lt; 0.001) and also hepcidin has highest predictive value on serum iron level and transferrin iron binding capacity (p&lt; 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.</div>


<div>Influence of hepcidin on iron homeostasis during last trimester of gestation in <em>Bos indicus</em> (cattle)</div>


<div><strong>Background: </strong>We aimed to identify the prognostic value of hepcidin in discriminating against the survival outcome of canine babesiosis.&nbsp;<br />
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<div><strong>Methods:</strong> Semi-nested polymerase chain reaction was performed to confirm the presence of infection. Existence of oxidative stress and inflammatory response, changes in systemic iron status and hepcidin level were assessed in the study population. Based on the outcome <em>Babesia</em> infected dogs were classified into survivors (n=18) and non-survivors (n=14) of infection. 32 healthy dogs formed the control group.&nbsp;<br />
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<div><strong>Conclusion:</strong> In non-survivors of infection, serum hepcidin was positively associated with C-reactive protein (P&lt;0.01), serum iron (P&lt;0.01), transferrin iron-binding capacity (P&lt;0.05), unsaturated iron-binding capacity (P&lt;0.01), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (P&lt;0.05) and negatively associated with catalase (P&lt;0.01), zinc (P&lt;0.01) and low haemoglobin density (P&lt;0.01). The prognostic cut-off value of hepcidin in discriminating the survivability of infected dogs was 32.32 ng/mL with 100.00% specificity and 92.86 % sensitivity. The area under the curve of hepcidin in discriminating survivability was about 0.984 and Youden&rsquo;s index was 0.928. Hence, hepcidin can predict the survival outcome of the disease enabling intensive care for animals with a cut-off value of hepcidin more than 32.32 ng/mL.</div>


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

Serum Hepcidin as a Clinical Prognostic Marker to Discriminate the Outcome of Canine Babesiosis