Scientists design experimental treatment for iron-overload diseases

Iron overload is a common condition affecting millions of people worldwide. Excess iron in the body is toxic, and deposits can cause damage to the liver, heart and other organs. Current treatments, researchers say, are not ideal and have significant side effects. Iron in the body is regulated by a hormone called hepcidin, and a deficiency in this hormone can cause the iron overload seen in genetic disorders like hereditary hemochromatosis and Cooley's anemia. In the hopes of finding a treatment for iron overload, UCLA researchers have developed a new type of therapy based on small molecules that mimic the effects of hepcidin in mice. Published online Nov. 1 in the peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Investigation, their findings could lead to new drugs to help prevent the condition.