Gene Targeting and Heme Oxygenase-1 Expression in Prevention of Hypertension Induced by Angiotensin II

摘要

This article raises important findings related to gene targeting in renal injury and HO-1. As shown previously, the degradation of heme is regarded as pivotal in cellular defense for 2 reasons. First, the pro-oxidant heme is removed and, second, increased production of bilirubin/biliverdin and CO, heme degradation products, is now considered beneficial to cellular cytoprotection. Iron, the third heme degradation product, which can stimulate free radical formation, is immediately bound by ferritin. Thus, CO and bilirubin are central to the defense mechanisms that occur in times of stress, a result of elevated levels of HO-1 protein and HO activity. The H0-1/H0-2 system has been long implicated in the regulation of renal function and hypertension (reviewed in Reference).