Nrf-2–HO-1–HMGB1 axis: An important therapeutic approach for protection against myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury

Myocardial reperfusion therapy is the optimal therapeutic strategy for acute myocardial infarction to preserve myocardial viability and function by reversing myocardial ischemia and reducing the infarct size [1]. However, the subsequent ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury may attenuate the therapeutic benefit [1]. Although reperfusion therapy is essential for the survival of ischemic tissue, reperfusion itself may cause additional cellular injury by causing local myocardial inflammation, accompanying with apoptosis, which could result in myocardial cell damage [2].