Heme in Cardiovascular Diseases: A Ubiquitous Dangerous Molecule Worthy of Vigilance

Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

Yuyang Guo¹  Dingli Xu¹  Zhibin Lin¹  Qingchun Zeng¹  Hengli Zhao¹  Taochun Ye² 

[1] Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China;Department of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China;Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Shock and Microcirculation, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China;State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Cardiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China;

关键词: heme;    cardiovascular diseases;    atherosclerosis;    aortic valve stenosis;    heart failure;    ferroptosis;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fcell.2021.781839

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Heme, the protoporphyrin IX iron complex is widely present in the human body and it is involved in oxygen storage, electron transfer, and enzymatic reactions. However, free heme can be toxic as it catalyzes the production of reactive oxygen species, oxidizes lipids and proteins, and causes DNA damage, thereby inducing a pro-inflammatory environment. The generation, metabolism, and degradation of heme in the human body are regulated by precise mechanisms to ensure that heme remains non-toxic. However, in several types of cardiovascular diseases, impaired metabolism and exposure to heme may occur in pathological processes, including neovascularization, internal hemorrhage, ischemia, and reperfusion. Based on years of research, in this review, we aimed to summarize the underlying mechanisms by which heme contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases through oxidative stress, relative pathway gene expression regulation and phenotypic changes in cells. Excess heme plays a detrimental role in atherosclerosis, heart failure, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, degenerative aortic valve stenosis, cardiac iron overload. Recent researches revealed that in some cases heme involved in cardiac damage though ferroptosis. Thus, heme concentrations beyond normal levels are dangerous. Further research on the role of heme in cardiovascular diseases is needed.

【 授权许可】

Unknown