Effects of heparin on BMP6-induced expression of hepcidin and signaling. (A) The HepG2 cells were grown for 16 hours in the presence of 10 ng/mL BMP6 and of the indicated heparin types and concentrations; the level of hepcidin was analyzed by real-time RT-PCR in relationship to HPRT1 mRNA and expressed in a logarithmic scale. Data are means and SD of 3 independent experiments in triplicate. (B) Western blotting of phosphorylated SMAD1/5/8, total SMAD5 and of β-actin as calibrator of the cells extracts before and after the incubation with UFH and with fondaparinux. Data are representative of 3 independent experiments.