The Control of Iron Homeostasis: microRNAS Join the Party

Abstract

Castoldi M, Spasic MV, Altamura S, et al. (Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; others). The liver-specific microRNA miR-122 controls systemic iron homeostasis in mice. J Clin Invest 2011;121:1386–1396. Our understanding of the regulation of iron homeostasis has increased rapidly in the last decade. The identification of the iron regulatory hormone hepcidin, and the genes underlying iron disorders such as hereditary hemochromatosis have been instrumental in identifying the molecules necessary for the control of iron balance....