HMOX1 and myocardial ischemia: Although we and others have previously demonstrated that myocardial HO-1 induction by acute treatment with the selective HO-1 inducer hemin protects against myocardial I/R injury (Masini et al., 2003; Giannini et al., 2005; Lakkisto et al., 2009; Yeh et al., 2009), the effects of chronic hemin administration in a model of prolonged cardiac ischemia have never been tested and it is not clear whether a long-term induction of HO-1 is beneficial or detrimental.