HMOX1 and Hyperglycemia: It is interesting that although high glucose exposure failed to induce the classical antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, in pancreatic beta cells [9], it resulted in a remarkable rise in both HO-1 gene expression and enzyme activities in the islets, in parallel with hyperglycemia-induced intracellular peroxide levels [10], [11].