Increased hepcidin expression in colorectal carcinogenesis

Figure 1 Validation of hepcidin expression in urine by MALDI-TOF MS. A: (a) A human urine specimen showing the two dominant forms of hepcidin; hepcidin 20 (m/z 2195.3) and hepcidin 25 (m/z 2793.8). In addition the degradation product of hepcidin 25 hepcidin 22 could also be detected by MALDI-TOF MS (m/z 2440.5); (b) A human urine specimen completely devoid of hepcidin which when spiked with synthetic hepcidin 25 clearly shows a detectable peak at 2795.4 (c); B: Synthetic hepcidin was spiked into a low hepcidin containing urine sample at concentrations between 0-80 ng/mL and analysed by MALDI-TOF MS followed by analysis of the hepcidin 25 peak intensity.