Since our previous study highlighted the close association between TNF-α and hepcidin, and since the suppressed hepcidin expression observed in CD patients who were responsible to IFX treatment could be attributed to the antagonism of TNF-α, we then hypothesized that proinflammatory factors like TNF-α may also stimulate the expression of hepcidin in IBD patients. Here, HAMP is linked to inflammatory bowel disease.