Hyperferritinaemia: An Iron Sword of Autoimmunity

Abstract

Background: Ferritin is a molecule that plays many roles being the storage for iron, signalling molecule, and modulator of the immune response.

Methods: Different electronic databases were searched in a non-systematic way to find out the literature of interest.

Results: The level of ferritin rises in many inflammatory conditions including autoimmune disorders. However, in four inflammatory diseases (i.e., adult-onset Still's diseases, macrophage activation syndrome, catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome, and sepsis), high levels of ferritin are observed suggesting it as a remarkable biomarker and pathological involvement in these diseases. Acting as an acute phase reactant, ferritin is also involved in the cytokine-associated modulator of the immune response as well as a regulator of cytokine synthesis and release which are responsible for the inflammatory storm.

Conclusion: This review article presents updated information on the role of ferritin in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases with an emphasis on hyperferritinaemic syndrome.

Keywords: Hyperferritinaemia; adult-onset Still's disease; autoimmune disease; autoimmunity; catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome; hyperferritinaemic syndrome; macrophage activation syndrome; sepsis..