Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0948265 (metabolic syndrome)
 24,271 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Bilirubin belongs to a phylogenetically old superfamily of tetrapyrrolic compounds, which have multiple biological functions. Although for decades bilirubin was believed to be only a waste product of the heme catabolic pathway at best, and a potentially toxic compound at worst; recent data has convincingly demonstrated that mildly elevated serum bilirubin levels are strongly associated with a lower prevalence of oxidative stress-mediated diseases. Indeed, serum bilirubin has been consistently shown to be negatively correlated to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), as well as to CVD-related diseases and risk factors such as arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. In addition, the clinical data are strongly supported by evidence arising from both in vitro and in vivo experimental studies. This data not only shows the protective effects of bilirubin per se; but additionally, of other products of the heme catabolic pathway such as biliverdin and carbon monoxide, as well as its key enzymes (heme oxygenase and biliverdin reductase); thus, further underlining the biological impacts of this pathway. In this review, detailed information on the experimental and clinical evidence between the heme catabolic pathway and CVD, and those related diseases such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity is provided. All of these pathological conditions represent an important threat to human civilization, being the major killers in developed countries, with a steadily increasing prevalence. Thus, it is extremely important to search for novel markers of these diseases, as well as for novel therapeutic modalities to reverse this unfavorable situation. The heme catabolic pathway seems to fulfill the criteria for both diagnostic purposes as well as for potential therapeutical interventions.
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PMID:The role of bilirubin in diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases. 2249 81

The global epidemic of obesity continues unabated with sequelae of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. This review reflects the dramatic increase in research on the role of increased expression of heme oxygenase (HO)-1/HO-2, biliverdin reductase, and HO activity on vascular disease. The HO system engages with other systems to mitigate the deleterious effects of oxidative stress in obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recent reports indicate that HO-1/HO-2 protein expression and HO activity have several important roles in hemostasis and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent perturbations associated with metabolic syndrome. HO-1 protects tissue during inflammatory stress in obesity through the degradation of pro-oxidant heme and the production of carbon monoxide (CO) and bilirubin, both of which have anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. By contrast, repression of HO-1 is associated with increases of cellular heme and inflammatory conditions including hypertension, stroke, and atherosclerosis. HO-1 is a major focus in the development of potential therapeutic strategies to reverse the clinical complications of obesity and metabolic syndrome.
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PMID:Translational Significance of Heme Oxygenase in Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome. 2651 32