Deficiency of the heme-catabolizing enzyme, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), in humans was found to be associated with elevated plasma heme levels, extensive LDL oxidation, severe endothelial damage and accelerated atherosclerosis (Yachie et al., 1999; Jeney et al., 2002; Kawashima et al., 2002; Radhakrishnan et al., 2011). The gene discussed is HMOX1; the disease is atherosclerosis.