Open AccessHeme Regulation in Traumatic Brain Injury: Relevance to the Adult and Developing Brain
Author(s) -
Edward F. Chang,
Catherine P. Claus,
Hendrik J. Vreman,
Ronald J. Wong,
Linda J. Noble-Haeusslein
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.167
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1559-7016
pISSN - 0271-678X
DOI - 10.1038/sj.jcbfm.9600147
Subject(s) - heme , heme oxygenase , traumatic brain injury , medicine , bilirubin , endogeny , neuroscience , biochemistry , biology , enzyme , psychiatry
Intracranial bleeding is one of the most prominent aspects in the clinical diagnosis and prognosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Substantial amounts of blood products, such as heme, are released because of traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhages, intraparenchymal contusions, and hematomas. Despite this, surprisingly few studies have directly addressed the role of blood products, in particular heme, in the setting of TBI. Heme is degraded by heme oxygenase (HO) into three highly bioactive products: iron, bilirubin, and carbon monoxide. The HO isozymes, in particular HO-1 and HO-2, exhibit significantly different expression patterns and appear to have specific roles after injury. Developmentally, differences between the adult and immature brain have implications for endogenous protection from oxidative stress. The aim of this paper is to review recent advances in the understanding of heme regulation and metabolism after brain injury and its specific relevance to the developing brain. These findings suggest novel clinical therapeutic options for further translational study.