Editorial: Heme proteins: key players in the regulation of immune responses

Le résumé fourni par la source

Heme is a well-established pro-inflammatory signaling molecule involved in different pathological settings. Seika et al. (link) elegantly demonstrate that the accumulation of free heme in the colon amplifies the DNA damage, the abnormal proliferation of epithelial cells and can sustain a state of chronic inflammation. This mechanism provides a novel explanation for gastrointestinal syndrome (GIS) and bleeding, two severe gastrointestinal side effects observed during anticancer therapy. Based on this evidence, the Authors propose the depletion of free heme by increasing HO-1 activity and Hx sequestration as a potential therapeutic approach to ameliorate the side effects of common antitumoral therapies (link). In this scenario, although the effects on cancer prevention of many antioxidant compounds and food supplements are debated (4, 5), novel therapeutic approaches could be exploited targeting antioxidant heme proteins to ameliorate the side effects of anti-cancer therapies.Free heme may also exacerbate the inflammatory response during bacterial or viral infections with simultaneous intravascular hemolysis. Thus, the antioxidant effects of bilirubin can be identified as a potential therapeutic tool in a context of high oxidative stress resulting from endotoxemia.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.