title: A Novel Perspective on the Biology of Bilirubin in Health and Disease.
abstract: Unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) is known to be one of the most potent endogenous antioxidant substances. While hyperbilirubinemia has long been recognized as an ominous sign of liver dysfunction, recent data strongly indicate that mildly elevated bilirubin (BLB) levels can be protective against an array of diseases associated with increased oxidative stress. These clinical observations are supported by new discoveries relating to the role of BLB in immunosuppression and inhibition of protein phosphorylation, resulting in the modulation of intracellular signaling pathways in vascular biology and cancer, among others. Collectively, the evidence suggests that targeting BLB metabolism could be considered a potential therapeutic approach to ameliorate a variety of conditions.
authors: Liver Research Center, Italian Liver Foundation, SS14, Km 163.5, Trieste, Italy.
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Gazzin
authors: 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic. Electronic address: vitek@cesnet.cz.
authors: Libor
authors: L
authors: Vitek
authors: Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors: Jon
authors: J
authors: Watchko
authors: Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Mercy Hospital & Clinics, Kansas City, MO, USA; University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS, USA.
authors: Steven M
authors: SM
authors: Shapiro
authors: Liver Research Center, Italian Liver Foundation, SS14, Km 163.5, Trieste, Italy; Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: ctliver@csf.units.it.
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Tiribelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006932:Hyperbilirubinemia / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001663:Bilirubin
keywords: bilirubin; bilirubinomics; human health; intracellular events; redox state