Abstract
Heme oxygenase is rapidly taking its place as a centerpiece of multiple interacting metabolic systems. Heme oxygenase and its metabolic products first appeared to be merely a simple metabolic system: one substrate, heme; one enzyme-heme oxygenase; and one set of products, iron to be recycled, and bilirubin and carbon monoxide to be disposed. The heme-heme oxygenase system is now similar to the metabolic networks surrounding glucose in those complex maps of glycolytic and nonglycolytic metabolic pathways, which we had to memorize as students.
The relevance of heme oxygenase to regulatory biology was recognized many years ago, but the work conducted over the past 5 years has created a new wave of emphasis focusing on genetic manipulation of altered heme oxygenase gene expression, the regulatory actions of heme oxygenase products, including carbon monoxide, and the significance of changes in the heme oxygenase system. The physiological and pathological relevance of heme oxygenase is important to the brain, heart, liver, bone marrow, organ transplant, lung, and kidney, opening many areas of investigation in various disciplines. Advances in the pharmacology of bilirubin and its function as an antioxidant have provided a new avenue in clinical research. Changes in cellular levels of bilirubin and carbon monoxide have been related to alterations in normal cell cycle progression in many organs. The resurgence of interest in the heme oxygenase system and it products, carbon monoxide and bilirubin, has led to the development of several clinical trials in neonatal jaundice and cardiovascular disease.
This issue is the product of collaboration by many respected scientists around the world. It presents concise up-to-date reviews that describe current developments regarding the biochemical properties of heme oxygenase, the regulation of its activity by endogenous and exogenous factors, and its involvement in pathological processes and the molecular biological aspects of the control mechanism for regulating heme oxygenase activity. For the first time, we are describing the significance of the heme oxygenase system and its products in clinical medicine and biology. The articles include several important discoveries introduced at the 2nd International Symposium on Heme Oxygenase, which was held in BioVerde Congress Center, Catania, Sicily, Italy, on June 6–9, 2002. In addition, a few important articles that were not presented at the meeting have been included because they highlight the role of HO/carbon monoxide in different disciplines. We offer our sincerest apologies for not being able to include works submitted after the publication deadline.
Many thanks to all the contributors and to the Scientific Committee and the abstract reviewers for their help and support for the success of the meeting. Finally, we thank the Honorable Mayor Umberto Scapagnini, who honored us by presenting the Welcome Address and for making Catania, Italy the ideal environment for holding this meeting
We dedicate this volume in recognition of the victims of the September 11th World Trade Center disaster, where our last conference was held 6 months earlier.