Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026

Bioluminescence Imaging of Heme Oxygenase-1 Upregulation in the Gua Sha Procedure
Published on: August 28, 2009
Heme oxygenase-1 in environmental toxin-induced lung disease
Meng-Ling Wu1, Matthew D Layne, Shaw-Fang Yet
1Institute of Cellular and System Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan.
Abstract:
In the US, lung disease is the number three killer and accounts for one of every six deaths. Furthermore, more than 35 million US populations are now living with a chronic lung disease. Therefore, it is of urgent need to develop novel strategies that can protect against the development and progression of lung disease. Inhalation of air pollutants or environmental toxins induces inflammation and oxidative stress in the lung, resulting in tissue damage with subsequent decline in lung function. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a stress response protein, which is highly inducible in response to pathological stimulation. Due to the cumulative effects of HO-1 on heme catabolism and the generation of biologically active downstream products, induction of HO-1 might serve as a protective mechanism against oxidative stress and inflammation-induced injury. Accumulating evidences have indicated a protective function of HO-1 against lung injury. This review highlights the roles of HO-1 in lung disease induced by environmental toxins such as cigarette smoke (CS), silica, and asbestos.
Related Concept Videos
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease II: Emphysema
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease I: Introduction
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Inflammation
Acute Respiratory Failure-II
The underlying physiological abnormalities that contribute to hypoxemic respiratory failure include:
Types of Toxins
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features

