Reduced Expression of Ferroportin-1 Mediates Hyporesponsiveness of Suckling Rats to Stimuli That Reduce Iron Absorption

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Suckling mammals absorb high levels of iron to support their rapid growth. In adults, iron absorption is controlled by systemic signals that alter expression of the iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin. We investigated whether hepcidin and absorption respond appropriately to systemic stimuli during suckling. METHODS: In Sprague-Dawley rats, iron levels increased following administration of iron dextran, and inflammation was induced with lipopolysaccharide. Gene expression was measured by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction; protein levels were measured by immunoblot analyses. Iron absorption was determined based on retention of an oral dose of Fe-59. RESULTS: Iron absorption was high during suckling and reduced to adult levels upon weaning. In response to iron dextran or lipopolysaccharide, iron absorption in adults decreased substantially, but, in suckling animals, the changes were minimal. Despite this, expression of hepcidin messenger RNA was strongly induced by each agent, before and after weaning. The hyporesponsiveness of iron absorption to increased levels of hepcidin during suckling correlated with reduced or absent duodenal expression of ferroportin 1 (Fpn1), normally a hepcidin target. Fpn1 expression was robust in adults. Predominance of the Fpn1A splice variant, which is under iron-dependent translational control, accounts for the low level of Fpn1 in the iron-deficient intestine of suckling rats. CONCLUSIONS: Iron absorption during suckling is largely refractory to changes in expression of the systemic iron regulator hepcidin, and this in turn reflects limited expression of Fpn1 protein in the small intestine. Iron absorption is therefore not always controlled by hepcidin.