Hepcidin overproduction exacerbates tumor-associated anemia and hypoferremia and prevents mobilization of iron from stores. Mice bearing unmodified, GFP-transfected, or hepcidin-transfected tumors were maintained either on a high- (left graph of each pair) or low-iron (right graph) diet for the duration of the study. (A) Blood hemoglobin concentrations. (B) Serum iron levels. (C-D) Liver and splenic iron content. Box and whisker plots represent median, 25% to 75% range, and 10% to 90% range. (D) Total splenic iron was measured directly (left axis; •) or by semiquantitative grading of the sections stained with Perl Prussian blue (right axis; ○). Plot shows mean and one standard deviation. Significant differences (P < .05) are indicated at the top of each panel.