Title:The Role of the Heme Oxygenase System in the Metabolic Syndrome
Volume: 20
Issue: 31
Author(s): Ignazio Barbagallo, Anna Nicolosi, Giorgio Calabrese, Sabrina David, Sebastiano Cimino, Massimo Madonia and Francesco Cappello
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Metabolic syndrome, heme oxygenase, insulin sensitivity, adiponectin, heat shock proteins.
Abstract: Molecular chaperones and the heat shock response play a major role in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis under various
pathological conditions. In particular, their role is to regulate protein conformation, protect proteins from misfolding and aggregation, and
maintain signalling and organellarnetworks. Among variousheat shock proteins, Hsp32 also known as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), has
demonstrated an important role in metabolic syndrome. In particular, the HO system seems to play a major role in the complex pathophysiological
cascade involved in insulin resistance mechanisms, and adipocyte functions as measured by the release of important adipokynes.
The aim of the present review is to point out the role of HO-1 in metabolic syndrome, and how to exploit its beneficial effects as a
therapeutic strategy to prevent complicationsof andto improve insulin sensitivity.
