scholarly journals Hemin as a novel candidate for treating COVID-19 via heme oxygenase-1 induction

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong-Hwi Kim ◽  
Hee-Seop Ahn ◽  
Hyeon-Jeong Go ◽  
Da-Yoon Kim ◽  
Jae-Hyeong Kim ◽  
...  

AbstractSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). More than 143 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported to date, with the global death rate at 2.13%. Currently, there are no licensed therapeutics for controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection. The antiviral effects of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), a cytoprotective enzyme that inhibits the inflammatory response and reduces oxidative stress, have been investigated in several viral infections. To confirm whether HO-1 suppresses SARS-CoV-2 infection, we assessed the antiviral activity of hemin, an effective and safe HO-1 inducer, in SARS-CoV-2 infection. We found that treatment with hemin efficiently suppressed SARS-CoV-2 replication (selectivity index: 249.7012). Besides, the transient expression of HO-1 using an expression vector also suppressed the growth of the virus in cells. Free iron and biliverdin, which are metabolic byproducts of heme catalysis by HO-1, also suppressed the viral infection. Additionally, hemin indirectly increased the expression of interferon-stimulated proteins known to restrict SARS-CoV-2 replication. Overall, the findings suggested that HO-1, induced by hemin, effectively suppressed SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. Therefore, HO-1 could be potential therapeutic candidate for COVID-19.

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akihiro Yachie

Since Yachie et al. reported the first description of human heme oxygenase (HO)-1 deficiency more than 20 years ago, few additional human cases have been reported in the literature. A detailed analysis of the first human case of HO-1 deficiency revealed that HO-1 is involved in the protection of multiple tissues and organs from oxidative stress and excessive inflammatory reactions, through the release of multiple molecules with anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory functions. HO-1 production is induced in vivo within selected cell types, including renal tubular epithelium, hepatic Kupffer cells, vascular endothelium, and monocytes/macrophages, suggesting that HO-1 plays critical roles in these cells. In vivo and in vitro studies have indicated that impaired HO-1 production results in progressive monocyte dysfunction, unregulated macrophage activation and endothelial cell dysfunction, leading to catastrophic systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Data from reported human cases of HO-1 deficiency and numerous studies using animal models suggest that HO-1 plays critical roles in various clinical settings involving excessive oxidative stress and inflammation. In this regard, therapy to induce HO-1 production by pharmacological intervention represents a promising novel strategy to control inflammatory diseases.


2019 ◽  
Vol 133 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela L. Martín ◽  
Paula Ceccatto ◽  
María V. Razori ◽  
Daniel E.A. Francés ◽  
Sandra M.M. Arriaga ◽  
...  

Abstract We previously demonstrated in in vitro and ex vivo models that physiological concentrations of unconjugated bilirubin (BR) prevent oxidative stress (OS)-induced hepatocanalicular dysfunction and cholestasis. Here, we aimed to ascertain, in the whole rat, whether a similar cholestatic OS injury can be counteracted by heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) induction that consequently elevates endogenous BR levels. This was achieved through the administration of hemin, an inducer of HO-1, the rate-limiting step in BR generation. We found that BR peaked between 6 and 8 h after hemin administration. During this time period, HO-1 induction fully prevented the pro-oxidant tert-butylhydroperoxide (tBuOOH)-induced drop in bile flow, and in the biliary excretion of bile salts and glutathione, the two main driving forces of bile flow; this was associated with preservation of the membrane localization of their respective canalicular transporters, bile salt export pump (Bsep) and multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2), which are otherwise endocytosed by OS. HO-1 induction counteracted the oxidation of intracellular proteins and membrane lipids induced by tBuOOH, and fully prevented the increase in the oxidized-to-total glutathione (GSHt) ratio, a sensitive parameter of hepatocellular OS. Compensatory elevations of the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were also prevented. We conclude that in vivo HO-1 induction protects the liver from acute oxidative injury, thus preventing consequent cholestasis. This reveals an important role for the induction of HO-1 and the consequently elevated levels of BR in preserving biliary secretory function under OS conditions, thus representing a novel therapeutic tool to limit the cholestatic injury that bears an oxidative background.


2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Loreto ◽  
Rosario Caltabiano ◽  
Adriana Carol Eleonora Graziano ◽  
Sergio Castorina ◽  
Claudia Lombardo ◽  
...  

Fluoro-edenite (FE), an asbestiform fiber, is responsible for many respiratory pathologies: chronic obstructive diseases, pleural plaques, fibrosis, and malignant mesothelioma. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is one of the first cytokines produced in response to lung tissue damage. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a protein with protective effects against oxidative stress. It is up regulated by several stimuli including pro-inflammatory cytokines and factors that promote oxidative stress. In this research, the in vivo model of sheep lungs naturally exposed to FE was studied in order to shed light on the pathophysiological events sustaining exposure to fibers, by determining immunohistochemical lung expression of MIF and HO-1. Protein levels expression of HO-1 and MIF were also evaluated in human primary lung fibroblasts after exposure to FE fibers in vitro. In exposed sheep lungs, MIF and HO-1 immunoexpression were spread involving the intraparenchymal stroma around bronchioles, interstitium between alveoli, alveolar epithelium and macrophages. High MIF immunoexpression prevails in macrophages. Similar results were obtained in vitro, but significantly higher values were only detected for HO-1 at concentrations of 50 and 100 μg/mL of FE fibers. MIF and HO-1 expressions seem to play a role in lung self-protection against uncontrolled chronic inflammation, thus counteracting the strong link with cancer development, induced by exposure to FE. Further studies will be conducted in order to add more information about the role of MIF and HO-1 in the toxicity FE-induced.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Li ◽  
GaiPing Du ◽  
DaJiang Wang ◽  
Jin Zhou ◽  
Guomin Jiang ◽  
...  

Retinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, involving several ocular diseases, seriously threatens human ocular health, mainly treated by attenuating I/R-induced oxidative stress. Currently, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could restore I/R-injured retina through paracrine secretion. Additionally, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) could ameliorate oxidative stress and thus retinal apoptosis, but the expression of HO-1 in MSC is limited. Here, we hypothesized that overexpression of HO-1 in MSC (MSC-HO-1) may significantly improve their retina-protective potentials. The overexpression of HO-1 in MSC was achieved by lentivirus transduction. Then, MSC or MSC-HO-1 was cocultured with retinal ganglion cells (RGC-5) in H2O2-simulated oxidative condition and their protection on RGC-5 was systemically valuated in vitro. Compared with MSC, MSC-HO-1 significantly attenuated H2O2-induced injury of RGC-5, including decrease in cellular ROS level and apoptosis, activation of antiapoptotic proteins p-Akt and Bcl-2, and blockage of proapoptotic proteins cleaved caspase 3 and Bax. In retinal I/R rats model, compared with control MSC, MSC-HO-1-treated retina significantly retrieved its structural thickness, reduced cell apoptosis, markedly attenuated retinal oxidative stress level, and largely regained the activities of typical antioxidant enzymes, SOD and CAT. Therefore, it could be concluded that overexpression of HO-1 provides a promising strategy to enhance the MSC-based therapy for I/R-related retinal injury.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e16090-e16090
Author(s):  
M. A. Alaoui-Jamali ◽  
A. Gupta ◽  
W. A. Szarek ◽  
T. A. Bismar ◽  
R. Gheorghe ◽  
...  

e16090 Prostate cancer is a highly prevalent disease. Despite a significant improvement in the overall survival attributed in part to early detection and introduction of novel therapeutic modalities, many cancer patients at primary diagnosis present advanced disease or experience recurrence of the cancer. The progression of prostate cancer (PCA) to hormone-refractory phenotype (HRPCA) and to metastasis is an ominous event in patients with advanced PCA. Currently, clinically available drugs for hormone refractory PCA have only marginal efficacy. In this study, we identified heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) to be significantly upregulated in epithelial PCA cells, but not in surrounding stromal cells, from hormone refractory prostate cancer cases compared to hormone-responsive prostate cancer and to benign tissues. We validated HO-1 as a novel therapeutic target for HRPCA. Specifically, inhibition of HO-1 gene in androgen-independent and highly invasive prostate cancer cells, PC3M, decreased HO-1 activity, oxidative stress, MAPKs activation, cell proliferation, and cell migration and invasion in vitro, as well as inhibition of prostate tumor growth and lymph nodes and lung metastases in vivo. The impact of HO-1 silencing on these oncogenic features was mimicked by exposure of cells to a novel selective small-molecule HO-1 inhibitor referred to as OB-24. OB-24 selectively downregulates HO-1 activity, oxidative stress, and significantly inhibits cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth and lymph node/lung metastases in vivo. A potent synergistic activity in inhibiting HRPCA metastasis formation was observed when OB-24 was combined with the chemotherapy drug taxol. The molecular and potential clinical impact of OB-24 alone and in combination with taxanes on HRPCA will be discussed. [Table: see text]


2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (12) ◽  
pp. 1952-1960
Author(s):  
Ming Zhang ◽  
Yanrang Wang ◽  
Xiaojun Wang ◽  
Jing Liu ◽  
Jingshu Zhang ◽  
...  

Ethylbenzene is an important industrial chemical, but its potential toxicity is a recent concern. Our previous study investigated the renal toxicity of ethylbenzene in vivo. Rat renal epithelial cells (NRK-52E cells) were incubated with 0, 30, 60, and 90 µmol/L of ethylbenzene for 24 h in vitro to investigate ethylbenzene-induced oxidative stress, apoptosis, and the expression of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and nuclear factor (erythroid 2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2). The cell survival rate in the ethylbenzene-treated groups was significantly lower than the control group. Ethylbenzene significantly increased intracellular reactive oxygen species and apoptosis. Malondialdehyde levels were significantly elevated compared with the control group, while glutathione levels and glutathione peroxidase activities were decreased in ethylbenzene-treated groups. The activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase were also markedly reduced. A significant dose-dependent increase in HO-1 and Nrf2 messenger RNA expression levels was observed in ethylbenzene-treated groups compared with the control group. Similarly, ethylbenzene treatment enhanced protein expression of HO-1 and Nrf2 in a dose-dependent manner. Our results indicated that ethylbenzene induced oxidative stress, apoptosis, and upregulation of HO-1 and Nrf2 in NRK-52E cells, which contributes to ethylbenzene-induced renal toxicity.


2021 ◽  
Vol Volume 16 ◽  
pp. 1565-1573
Author(s):  
Liping Zou ◽  
Guiping Cheng ◽  
Chengcheng Xu ◽  
Heyu Liu ◽  
Yingying Wang ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Václav Šmíd ◽  
Jakub Šuk ◽  
Neli Kachamakova-Trojanowska ◽  
Jana Jašprová ◽  
Petra Valášková ◽  
...  

Heme oxygenase 1 (Hmox1), a ubiquitous enzyme degrading heme to carbon monoxide, iron, and biliverdin, is one of the cytoprotective enzymes induced in response to a variety of stimuli, including cellular oxidative stress. Gangliosides, sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids expressed in all cells, are involved in cell recognition, signalling, and membrane stabilization. Their expression is often altered under many pathological and physiological conditions including cell death, proliferation, and differentiation. The aim of this study was to assess the possible role of Hmox1 in ganglioside metabolism in relation to oxidative stress. The content of liver and brain gangliosides, their cellular distribution, and mRNA as well as protein expression of key glycosyltransferases were determined inHmox1knockout mice as well as their wild-type littermates. To elucidate the possible underlying mechanisms between Hmox1 and ganglioside metabolism, hepatoblastoma HepG2 and neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell lines were used forin vitroexperiments. Mice lackingHmox1exhibited a significant increase in concentrations of liver and brain gangliosides and in mRNA expression of the key enzymes of ganglioside metabolism. A marked shift of GM1 ganglioside from the subsinusoidal part of the intracellular compartment into sinusoidal membranes of hepatocytes was shown inHmox1knockout mice. Induction of oxidative stress by chenodeoxycholic acidin vitroresulted in a significant increase in GM3, GM2, and GD1a gangliosides in SH-SY5Y cells and GM3 and GM2 in the HepG2 cell line. These changes were abolished with administration of bilirubin, a potent antioxidant agent. These observations were closely related to oxidative stress-mediated changes in sialyltransferase expression regulated at least partially through the protein kinase C pathway. We conclude that oxidative stress is an important factor modulating synthesis and distribution of gangliosidesin vivoandin vitrowhich might affect ganglioside signalling in higher organisms.


Reproduction ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui-Hui Shen ◽  
Cheng-Jie Wang ◽  
Xinyan Zhang ◽  
Yan-Ran Sheng ◽  
Shao-Liang Yang ◽  
...  

Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1, encoded by the HMOX1 gene), is the rate-limiting enzyme that catalyzes heme degradation, and it has been reported to exert antioxidative effects. Recently, decidualization has been reported to confer resistance to environmental stress signals, protecting against oxidative stress. However, the effects and regulatory mechanism of HO-1 in decidual stromal cells (DSCs) during early pregnancy remain unknown. Here, we verified that the levels of HO-1 and heme in DSCs are increased compared with those in endometrial stromal cells (ESCs). Additionally, the upregulation of HIF1A expression led to increased HMOX1 expression in DSCs possibly via nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2, encoded by the NFE2L2 gene). However, addition of the competitive HO-1 inhibitor ZnPP resulted in an increase in HIF1A expression. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) induced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), decreased the cell viability of DSCs in vitro, and upregulated the expression of heme. As an HO-1 inducer, cobalt protoporphyrin IX (CoPP) decreased ROS production and significantly reversed the inhibitory effect of H2O2 on cell viability. More importantly, patients with unexplained spontaneous abortion had levels of HO-1 that were insufficient to protect against oxidative stress. This study suggests that the upregulation of HO-1 expression via HIF1A protects DSCs against excessive heme-mediated oxidative stress. Furthermore, the excessive oxidative stress injury and impaired viability of DSCs associated with decreased HO-1 expression should be associated with the occurrence and/or development of spontaneous abortion.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document