title: Dual protective role of HO-1 in transplanted liver grafts: a review of experimental and clinical studies.
abstract: Liver transplantation is considered as the most effective treatment for end-stage liver disease. However, serious complications still exist, particularly in two aspects: ischemia and subsequent reperfusion of the liver, causing postoperative hepatic dysfunction and even failure; and acute and chronic graft rejections, affecting the allograft survival. Heme oxygenase (HO), a stress-response protein, is believed to exert a protective function on both the development of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and graft rejection. In this review of current researches on allograft protection, we focused on the HO-1. We conjecture that HO-1 may link these two main factors affecting the prognosis of liver transplantations. In this review, the following aspects were emphasized: the basic biological functions of HO-1, its roles in IRI and allograft rejection, as well as methods to induce HO-1 and the prospects of a therapeutic application of HO-1 in liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhen-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ji-Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology*; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1