Hepatic hepcidin gene expression and serum iron levels in hepatocyte-specific Alk2-deficient mice challenged with mIL-6. Male Alk2^fl/fl and Alk2^fl/fl; Alb-Cre mice were injected intraperitoneally with mIL-6 (n = 5 and 6, in each group, respectively) or vehicle (0.1% BSA in PBS) (n = 5 and 3, in each group, respectively). After 4 hours, blood was collected, mice were euthanized and their livers were harvested. (A) Hepatic hepcidin mRNA levels. (1 way-ANOVA, P = .0011, ^†: P < .05: Alk2^fl/fl mice injected with vehicle vs Alk2^fl/fl mice injected with mIL-6; ^#P < .005: Alk2^fl/fl; Alb-Cre mice injected with vehicle vs Alk2^fl/fl; Alb-Cre mice injected with mIL-6. (B) Alk2 mRNA levels (1 way-ANOVA, P < .0001; *P < .0001: Alk2^fl/fl mice injected with vehicle vs Alk2^fl/fl; Alb-Cre mice injected with vehicle; ^#P < .0001: Alk2^fl/fl mice injected with mIL-6 vs Alk2^fl/fl; Alb-Cre mice injected with mIL-6). (C) Serum iron levels (1 way-ANOVA, P = .0017; *P < .02: Alk2^fl/fl mice injected with vehicle vs Alk2^fl/fl; Alb-Cre mice injected with vehicle; ^#P < .02: Alk2^fl/fl mice injected with mIL-6 vs Alk2^fl/fl; Alb-Cre mice injected with mIL-6).