Wu Yi-Hsuan, Hsieh Hsi-Lung
Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
Department of Nursing, Division of Basic Medical Sciences, Graduate Institute of Health Industry Technology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
Antioxidants (Basel). 2022 May 8;11(5):923. doi: 10.3390/antiox11050923.
The heme oxygenase (HO) system is believed to be a crucial mechanism for the nervous system under stress conditions. HO degrades heme to carbon monoxide, iron, and biliverdin. These heme degradation products are involved in modulating cellular redox homeostasis. The first identified isoform of the HO system, HO-1, is an inducible protein that is highly expressed in peripheral organs and barely detectable in the brain under normal conditions, whereas HO-2 is a constitutive protein that is highly expressed in the brain. Several lines of evidence indicate that HO-1 dysregulation is associated with brain inflammation and neurodegeneration, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. In this review, we summarize the essential roles that the HO system plays in ensuring brain health and the molecular mechanism through which HO-1 dysfunction leads to neurodegenerative diseases and disruption of nervous system homeostasis. We also provide a summary of the herbal medicines involved in the regulation of HO-1 expression and explore the current situation regarding herbal remedies and brain disorders.
血红素加氧酶（HO）系统被认为是应激条件下神经系统的关键机制。HO将血红素降解为一氧化碳、铁和胆绿素。这些血红素降解产物参与调节细胞氧化还原稳态。HO系统最早被鉴定的同工型HO-1是一种诱导型蛋白，在正常情况下在外周器官中高度表达，在大脑中几乎检测不到，而HO-2是一种组成型蛋白，在大脑中高度表达。多项证据表明，HO-1失调与脑部炎症和神经退行性疾病有关，包括帕金森病和阿尔茨海默病。在本综述中，我们总结了HO系统在确保大脑健康方面所起的重要作用，以及HO-1功能障碍导致神经退行性疾病和破坏神经系统稳态的分子机制。我们还总结了参与调节HO-1表达的草药，并探讨了草药疗法与脑部疾病的现状。
