Hepcidin in essential for host resistance to Candida albicans

Candidemia caused by Candida albicans is a life threatening infection and causes liver disease but the mechanism is not known.

The researchers demonstrate that the hepatic hormone hepcidin is essential for resistance to disseminated candidiasis.

Hepcidin deficiency and associated iron overload result in inexorable fungal growth and unrestricted hyphal transformation with exposed 1,3- β-glucan to drive organ pathology independent of candidalysin.

This is rescued by PR-73, a synthetic hepcidin mimetic.

https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(25)00420-6

https://sciencemission.com/hepcidin-in-host-resistance-to-disseminated-candidiasis