title: Protective role of hemeoxygenase-1 in gastrointestinal diseases.
abstract: Disorders and diseases of the gastrointestinal system encompass a wide array of pathogenic mechanisms as a result of genetic, infectious, neoplastic, and inflammatory conditions. Inflammatory diseases in general are rising in incidence and are emerging clinical problems in gastroenterology and hepatology. Hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a stress-inducible enzyme that has been shown to confer protection in various organ-system models. Its downstream effectors, carbon monoxide and biliverdin have also been shown to offer these beneficial effects. Many studies suggest that induction of HO-1 expression in gastrointestinal tissues and cells plays a critical role in cytoprotection and resolving inflammation as well as tissue injury. In this review, we examine the protective role of HO-1 and its downstream effectors in modulating inflammatory diseases of the upper (esophagus and stomach) and lower (small and large intestine) gastrointestinal tract, the liver, and the pancreas. Cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic activities of HO-1 make it a promising if not ideal therapeutic target for inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal system.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Marisol
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Vishal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Habtezion
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001664:Biliverdine / Q000276:immunology; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000276:immunology; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy
chemical_list: D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; D001664:Biliverdine