Novel Function for Bilirubin as a Metabolic Signaling Molecule: Implications for Kidney Diseases

Bilirubin is the end product of the catabolism of heme via the heme oxygenase pathway. Heme oxygenase generates carbon monoxide (CO) and biliverdin from the breakdown of heme, and biliverdin is rapidly reduced to bilirubin by the enzyme biliverdin reductase (BVR). Bilirubin has long been thought of as a toxic product that is only relevant to health when blood levels are severely elevated, such as in clinical jaundice. The physiological functions of bilirubin correlate with the growing body of evidence demonstrating the protective effects of serum bilirubin against cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. While the correlative evidence suggests a protective effect of serum bilirubin against many diseases, the mechanism by which bilirubin offers protection against cardiovascular and metabolic diseases remains unanswered. We recently discovered a novel function for bilirubin as a signaling molecule capable of activating the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) transcription factor. This review summarizes the new finding of bilirubin as a signaling molecule and proposes several mechanisms by which this novel action of bilirubin may protect against cardiovascular and kidney diseases.