Evidence map›Paper›PMID 19241483›Full record

ArticleHepatology (Baltimore, Md.)2009

Ferritin functions as a proinflammatory cytokine via iron-independent protein kinase C zeta/nuclear factor kappaB-regulated signaling in rat hepatic stellate cells.

Richard G Ruddell, Diem Hoang-Le, Joanne M Barwood, Paul S Rutherford, Terrance J Piva, Dianne J Watters, Paolo Santambrogio, Paolo Arosio, Grant A Ramm

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.), 2009. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 150 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
150citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
5.2field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

150 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 292 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Guideline
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Ferritin, inflammation, and iron deficiency in acute heart failure: evidence from the EDIFICA cohort.Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society · 2026
    Observational
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Review
  10. Early hyperferritinemia in polytrauma: a biomarker of systemic inflammation and mortality risk in a multicenter cohort study.Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.] · 2025
    Observational
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. Article
  16. [Effects of liver fibrosis induced by iron overload on M2 polarization of macrophages in mice].Nan fang yi ke da xue xue bao = Journal of Southern Medical University · 2025
    Article
  17. Article
  18. Review
  19. Article
  20. Article

90 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Richard G RuddellThe Hepatic Fibrosis Group, Queensland Institute of Medical Research and The University of Queensland, P. Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
Diem Hoang-Le
Joanne M Barwood
Paul S Rutherford
Terrance J Piva
Dianne J Watters
Paolo Santambrogio
Paolo Arosio
Grant A Ramm
Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital · AUQIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute · AUGriffith University · AURMIT University · AUUniversity of Brescia · ITVita-Salute San Raffaele University · IT

Funding

HEMOCHROMATOSIS--MECHANISMS AND NOVEL THERAPIESR01DK057648 · NIDDK · QUEENSLAND INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH · PI POWELL, LAWRIE W · 2000 to 2004
$750k
NIDDK NIH HHS R01 DK057648NIDDK NIH HHS R01DK57648-01
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

unlabelledCirculating ferritin levels reflect body iron stores and are elevated with inflammation in chronic liver injury. H-ferritin exhibits a number of extrahepatic immunomodulatory properties, although its role in hepatic inflammation and fibrogenesis is unknown. Hepatic stellate cells respond to liver injury through production of proinflammatory mediators that drive fibrogenesis. A specific receptor for ferritin has been demonstrated on activated hepatic stellate cells, although its identity and its role in stellate cell activation is unclear. We propose that ferritin acts as a cytokine regulating proinflammatory function via nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB)-regulated signaling in hepatic stellate cell biology. Hepatic stellate cells were treated with tissue ferritin and iron-free apoferritin, recombinant H-ferritins and L-ferritins, to assess the role of ferritin versus ferritin-bound iron in the production of proinflammatory mediators of fibrogenesis, and to determine whether signaling pathways act via a proposed H-ferritin endocytosis receptor, T cell immunoglobulin-domain and mucin-domain 2 (Tim-2). This study demonstrated that ferritin activates an iron-independent signaling cascade, involving Tim-2 independent phosphoinositide 3 (PI3)-kinase phosphorylation, protein kinase C zeta (PKCzeta) and p44/p42-mitogen-activated protein kinase, resulting in p50/p65-NF-kappaB activation and markedly enhanced expression of hepatic proinflammatory mediators interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), inhibitor of kappa Balpha (IkappaBalpha), and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1).

conclusionsThis study has defined the role of ferritin as a proinflammatory mediator of hepatic stellate cell biology acting through the NF-kappaB signaling pathway, and suggests a potential role in the inflammatory processes associated with hepatic fibrogenesis.

Indexed as

AnimalsCells, CulturedChemokine CCL5Dose-Response Relationship, DrugFerritinsHepatic Stellate CellsIntercellular Adhesion Molecule-1Interleukin-1betaMaleMAP Kinase Kinase 1Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase KinasesNF-kappa BNitric Oxide Synthase Type IIPhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesProtein Kinase CChemokine CCL5FerritinsIntercellular Adhesion Molecule-1Interleukin-1betaMAP Kinase Kinase 1Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase KinasesNF-kappa BNitric Oxide Synthase Type IIPhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesProtein Kinase CProtein Kinase C zeta

Identifiers

PMID19241483
PMCPMC2701483
OpenAlexW2055560694

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.