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Updated: Nov 3, 2025

Measurement of Heme Synthesis Levels in Mammalian Cells
Published on: July 9, 2015
Clinical Significance of Heme Oxygenase 1 in Tumor Progression
Mariapaola Nitti1, Caterina Ivaldo1, Nicola Traverso1
1Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Via L.B. Alberti 2, 16132 Genova, Italy.
Abstract:
Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) plays a key role in cell adaptation to stressors through the antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and anti-inflammatory properties of its metabolic products. For these reasons, in cancer cells, HO-1 can favor aggressiveness and resistance to therapies, leading to poor prognosis/outcome. Genetic polymorphisms of HO-1 promoter have been associated with an increased risk of cancer progression and a high degree of therapy failure. Moreover, evidence from cancer biopsies highlights the possible correlation between HO-1 expression, pathological features, and clinical outcome. Indeed, high levels of HO-1 in tumor specimens often correlate with reduced survival rates. Furthermore, HO-1 modulation has been proposed in order to improve the efficacy of antitumor therapies. However, contrasting evidence on the role of HO-1 in tumor biology has been reported. This review focuses on the role of HO-1 as a promising biomarker of cancer progression; understanding the correlation between HO-1 and clinical data might guide the therapeutic choice and improve the outcome of patients in terms of prognosis and life quality.
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