Previous studies have shown the nuclear translocation of HO-1 in human prostate cancer cells, murine fibroblasts and mouse hepatoma cells exposed to strong oxidant conditions, such as cigarette smoke or hypoxia or hemin with or without hemopexin (Lin et al., 2007; Sacca et al., 2007; Birrane et al., 2013). Here, HMOX1 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.