School of Infection & Immunity

Professor Yannick Degboe

Title:

Local iron regulation in rheumatoid arthritis joints: friend or foe?

Synopsis:

Hepcidin is a key hormone involved in the regulation of systemic iron metabolism and also functions as an acute-phase protein whose expression is elevated during chronic inflammation, such as in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It controls the activity of ferroportin, the only known cellular iron exporter, and contributes to the development of the anaemia of inflammation. While the systemic role of hepcidin in chronic inflammatory diseases is well documented, its production and functions within the joint have not yet been explored.

We investigated the potential roles of hepcidin within the joint compartment in the context of RA.

We analysed the local production of hepcidin in synovial membrane and synovial fluid samples from patients with RA. Hepcidin was expressed at both mRNA and protein levels, particularly by CD14⁺ monocytes and CD4⁺ T cells. Its production was induced by inflammatory stimuli such as IL-6 and IL-17A, as well as by synovial iron. In addition; hepcidin reduced ferroportin expression in infiltrating immune cells, inhibited osteoclast differentiation, and promoted CXCL1 production by synovial cells. Finally, kinase activity profiling revealed the involvement of immune-related signalling pathways in response to hepcidin.

Our findings revealed a previously unrecognized dual role for local hepcidin in RA: promoting neutrophils infiltrate and conversely reducing osteoclast involvement.

Bio:

Yannick Degboé is Professor of Rheumatology at the University of Toulouse (France) since 2024. His department is specialized in the care of chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases and is also national reference centre for the management of mastocytosis (CEREMAST) and phosphocalcic disorders (OSCAR).

He completed his medical and research training at the University of Toulouse. He had the opportunity to undertake a postdoctoral fellowship at Glasgow MVLS under the supervision of Prof. Goodyear and Prof. McInnes.

His translational research activities are directly integrated with his clinical practice. This research is conducted at the Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases (INFINITY, INSERM U1291), where he leads a research group focused on osteoimmunology.

Current research priorities include elucidating the mechanisms and identifying novel therapeutic targets in immune-mediated bone remodelling abnormalities associated with arthritis and systemic mastocytosis.

First published: 10 February 2026

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