At 18.5 weeks, ID8 mice had depressed liver hepcidin mRNA levels as compared to controls (Fig. 6A) (ID8 0.20 vs. PBS 14.08, P = 0.013), as well as comparable SAA-1 levels to controls (Fig. S1) (P = 0.361), indicating that inflammation and hepcidin do not play a major role in the development of this anemia. Here, SAA1 is linked to anemia.