Moreover, Liu et al. revealed that PI3K/Akt/nuclear factor signaling erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), by upregulating the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), can protect H9c2 cardiomyocytes from ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI)-induced apoptosis [84]. Here, HMOX1 is linked to ischemia reperfusion injury.