Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Isolation of Cells with Morphological and Spatial Information from Oral Submucous Fibrosis Samples by Laser Capture Microdissection
Published on: August 11, 2023
Augmented heme oxygenase-1 expression in areca quid chewing-associated oral submucous fibrosis
1Department of Pathology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Objectives:
Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is known as a stress-inducible protein and functions as an antioxidant enzyme. HO-1 is consistently and dramatically upregulated in a variety of fibrotic diseases. The aim of this study was to compare HO-1 expression in normal human buccal mucosa and oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) specimens and further explore the potential mechanism that may lead to induce HO-1 expression.
Methods:
Twenty OSF specimens and 10 normal buccal mucosa were examined by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA levels of HO-1 from fibroblasts cultured from OSF and normal buccal mucosa fibroblasts (BMFs) were evaluated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The effect of arecoline, the major areca nut alkaloid, was added to explore the potential mechanism that may lead to induce HO-1 expression.
Results:
Heme oxygenase-1 expression was significantly higher in OSF specimens (P < 0.05) and expressed mainly by fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and inflammatory cells. OSF demonstrated significantly higher HO-1 mRNA expression than BMFs (P < 0.05). Arecoline was also found to elevate HO-1 mRNA and protein expression in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Taken together, the data presented here demonstrated that HO-1 expression is significantly upregulated in OSF from areca quid chewers, and arecoline may be responsible for the enhanced HO-1 expression in vivo.
Related Concept Videos
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Inflammation
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease II: Emphysema
Esophageal Achalasia
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Smoking is a primary risk factor for COPD, with over 80% of patients having a history of it. Patients typically experience progressive dyspnea or labored breathing, frequent coughing, and recurrent pulmonary infections. Many eventually succumb to respiratory failure, characterized by...