Abstract |
Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 catabolizes heme into three products: carbon monoxide (CO), biliverdin (which is rapidly converted to bilirubin) and free iron (which leads to the induction of ferritin, an iron-binding protein). HO-1 serves as a "protective" gene by virtue of the anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and anti-proliferative actions of one or more of these three products. Administration of CO, biliverdin, bilirubin or iron-binding compounds is protective in rodent disease models of ischemia-reperfusion injury, allograft and xenograft survival, intimal hyperplasia following balloon injury or as seen in chronic graft rejection and others. We suggest that the products of HO-1 action could be valuable therapeutic agents and speculate that HO-1 functions as a "therapeutic funnel", mediating the beneficial effects attributed to other molecules, such as interleukin-10 (IL-10), inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2; iNOS) and prostaglandins. This Review is the third in a series on the regulation of the immune system by metabolic pathways.
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Authors | Leo E Otterbein, Miguel P Soares, Kenichiro Yamashita, Fritz H Bach |
Journal | Trends in immunology
(Trends Immunol)
Vol. 24
Issue 8
Pg. 449-55
(Aug 2003)
ISSN: 1471-4906 [Print] England |
PMID | 12909459
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Review)
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Chemical References |
- Membrane Proteins
- Protective Agents
- Heme
- Carbon Monoxide
- HMOX1 protein, human
- Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)
- Heme Oxygenase-1
- Biliverdine
- Bilirubin
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Topics |
- Animals
- Bilirubin
(immunology, metabolism)
- Biliverdine
(immunology, metabolism)
- Carbon Monoxide
(immunology, metabolism)
- Heme
(immunology, metabolism)
- Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)
(immunology)
- Heme Oxygenase-1
- Humans
- Membrane Proteins
- Protective Agents
(metabolism)
- Signal Transduction
(immunology)
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