The Pathophysiology of Heme

Dear Colleagues,

Heme, an iron-containing porphyrin, is required in all our cells. As a co-factor in hemoproteins, heme participates in several essential biological processes, such as oxygen transport, mitochondrial respiration, and drug metabolism. Moreover, the heme molecule itself exhibits regulatory activities, covering a broad spectrum of cellular functions such as micro-RNA processing, transcription and translation of target genes, and the regulation of the circadian rhythm. As such, alterations in heme homeostasis, which can lead to aberrant intracellular or extracellular heme concentrations, are extremely harmful for cells and organs. Heme toxicity is mainly related to heme-derived iron, whose uncontrolled reactivity promotes the formation of hydroxyl radicals through the Fenton reactions. Nevertheless, unbalanced intracellular heme levels—which can result from alterations in heme synthesis, heme degradation, or heme transport through cell membranes—could potentially interfere with all the above-mentioned biological processes, independently from or in addition to the oxidative damage. Importantly, growing evidence highlights the critical involvement of heme in a wide range of human diseases such as neuronal system disorders, infections, hemolytic diseases, and cancer.

The present Special Issue invites original research papers and reviews that aim to unravel the role of heme (1) in the regulation of physiological processes essential for cell and organ homeostasis, as well as (2) its role in the pathogenesis or in the pathologic outcomes of human diseases.

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• heme
• heme metabolism
• hemoproteins
• heme transport mechanisms
• heme synthesis
• heme oxygenase
• oxidative stress
• heme deficiency
• heme overload