A review on heme oxygenase-1 induction: is it a necessary evil

• Published in: Inflammation research Vol. 67; no. 7; pp. 579 - 588
• Main Authors: Waza, Ajaz Ahmad, Hamid, Zeenat, Ali, Sajad, Bhat, Shabir Ahmad, Bhat, Musadiq Ahmad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.07.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Allergology; Animals; Biliverdin; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Byproducts; Cancer; Carbon monoxide; Carcinogenesis; Carcinogens; Cellular stress response; Chromosomes; Cytotoxicity; Dermatology; Diseases; Enzyme Induction; Enzymes; Gene expression; Gene regulation; Heme; Heme - metabolism; Heme oxygenase (decyclizing); Heme Oxygenase-1 - biosynthesis; Heme Oxygenase-1 - metabolism; Herbal medicine; Humans; Immunology; Inflammation; Insects; Intracellular levels; Kinases; Mitochondria; Neurodegeneration; Neurology; Oxidative stress; Oxygenase; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Proteins; Review; Rheumatology; Signal Transduction; Tissues; Transcription factors; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Bilirubin; Carbon monoxide; Oxidative dysregulation; Heme; Heme oxygenase; Cytoprotection
• ISSN: 1023-3830; 1420-908X; 1420-908X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00011-018-1151-x

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is considered to be the main protein in diseases arising as a result of oxidative and inflammatory insults. Tremendous research has been carried out on HO-1 since years, pertaining its cytoprotective effect against oxidative injury and other cellular stresses. HO-1, by regulating intracellular levels of pro-oxidant heme, or by other benefits of its by-products such as carbon monoxide (CO) and biliverdin (BV) had become an important candidate protein to be up-regulated to combat diverse stressful events. Although the beneficial effects of HO-1 induction have been reported in a number of cells and tissues, a growing body of evidence indicates that this increased HO-1 expression may lead to the progression of several diseases such as neurodegeneration, carcinogenesis. But it is not clear, what accounts for the increased expression of HO-1 in cells and tissues. The observed friendly role of HO-1 in a wide range of stress conditions since times is now doubtful. Therefore, more studies are needed to elucidate the exact role of HO-1 in various stressful events. Being more concise, elucidating the effect of HO-1 up-regulation on critical genes involved in particular diseases such as cancer will help to a larger extent to comprehend the exact role of HO-1. This review will assist in understanding the dual role (protective and detrimental) of HO-1 and the signaling pathway involved and will help in unraveling the doubtful role of HO-1 induction.