Fig 1: Aerobic exercise promotes circulating heme release and upregulates hemopexin (Hpx) levels(A–D) Serum CK, LDH, heme, and Hpx levels in WT and Hpx−/− mice at different time points after acute running exercise on a treadmill. Data represent mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 versus WT baseline; #p < 0.05 versus Hpx−/− baseline; +p < 0.05, +++p < 0.001 WT versus Hpx−/−; n = 4–6/time point.(E–H) Serum heme and Hpx levels in the serum, heart, and plantaris muscle after 6 weeks of exercise training in WT (WTTR) mice.(I–K) Serum heme levels in Hpx−/− mice and running capacity in WT and Hpx−/− mice before and after 6 weeks of exercise training.(L) Flvcr2 gene expression in plantaris skeletal muscle before and after 6 weeks of aerobic exercise training in WT and Hpx−/− mice.Data represent mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001; n = 6/group.
Fig 2: HO-1 is induced by aerobic exercise(A) HO-1 expression in WT and Hpx-/- mice over time in plantaris muscle after an acute aerobic exercise bout. Data represent mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001 versus baseline; #p < 0.05, ##p < 0.01, ###p < 0.001 versus Hpx-/- baseline; n = 4–6/time point.(B–E) HO-1 mRNA and protein expression with representative immunoblots in the plantaris muscle and heart, respectively, after 6 weeks of aerobic exercise training in WT mice. Data represent mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01; n = 6/group.(F) Representative image of primary skeletal muscle myotube cells.(G and H) Hemopexin and HO-1 expression at different concentrations of heme in myotube cells.(I) Lipid peroxidation levels in myotubes after 4 h of treatment with heme (50 µM).(J) Myotubes silenced to Hpx (siHpx) and HO-1 (siHO-1) were evaluated for viability after treatment with heme (50 µM) and hemopexin (1 µM).Data represent mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 versus control.
Fig 3: Correlation between immune cells and Hpx expression and pathways associated with Hpx alteration predicted by GSEA. (A) Hpx expression in transcriptome results. (B) Hpx expression correlation heatmap in four organs. (C) Scatter diagrams from correlation analysis in lung. Y-axis represents Hpx, x-axis represents immune cell content, as defined by CIBERSORT algorithm. (D) Predicted pathways in lung, (E) intestine, (F) brain, (G) and spleen. Comparative changes between high- and low-expression groups. All terms shown are significantly enriched at NES> 1 and p < 0.05. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, number of asterisks represent degree of importance.
Fig 4: Western blotting and GEO database validation of Hpx expression in four organs post-RSV infection. (A–D) Western blotting of Hpx protein levels in RSV-infected BALB/c mice at different time points in lung, intestine, brain, and spleen. p < 0.05. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, compared with control group. Hpx expression in (E) TLR4-intact and TLR4-intact infected mice, (F) TLR4 mutant and TLR4 mutant infected mice, (G) TLR4 intact infected and TLR4 mutant infected mice based on GEO database. ns. no.
Fig 5: Effects of low (LCR) and high (HCR) intrinsic running capacity on heme processing(A and B) Serum heme and Hpx levels comparing LCR and HCR rats.(C and D) Hpx and HO-1 expression in plantaris skeletal muscle.(E–H) Hpx and HO-1 expression in liver and heart, respectively, comparing LCR and HCR animals.(I) Gene expression in plantaris muscle comparing LCR and HCR rats.Results are expressed as mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001; n = 10/group.
Supplier Page from Abcam for Anti-Hemopexin antibody