Cobalt protoporphyrin IX (CoPP, an HO-1 inducer), infection with a recombinant adenovirus carried with HO-1 gene (Adv-HO-1), or zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP, an HO-1 inhibitor) was used to stimulate HO-1 induction or inhibit HO-1 activity. This evidence concerns the gene HMOX1 and infection.