Role of carbon monoxide and biliverdin in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury

G Li Volti1, L F Rodella, C Di Giacomo

  • 1Division of Human Anatomy, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy. livolti@unict.it

Heme oxygenase (HO) isoforms catalyze the conversion of heme to carbon monoxide (CO) and biliverdin/bilirubin with a concurrent release of iron. There is strong evidence that HO activity and products play a major role in renoprotection, however the exact molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects exerted by this pathway are not fully understood. This review is aimed at illustrating the possible mechanism/s by which HO is renoprotective in the context of ischemia/reperfusion. We will first analyze the effects of exogenous administration of bilirubin/biliverdin and CO and then describe their biological activities once generated endogenously following stimulation of the HO pathway by either pharmacological means or gene targeting-mediated approaches.