Suppression of NRF2 or HO-1 significantly increases oxidative injury and HMGB1 release, whereas upregulation of HO-1 inhibits HMGB1 release in infection (Kawahara et al., 2009; Takamiya et al., 2009; Tsoyi et al., 2009) (Figure 1A). This evidence concerns the gene HMGB1 and infection.