At the tissue level, necrotic events of selective skeletal muscles of mdx mice and associated increase in circulating levels of muscle damage markers were blunted in HO-1 transgenic animals which showed also anti-inflammatory cytokine profile (vs. mdx).<h4>Conclusions</h4>Targeted expression of HMOX1 plays protective role in DMD and alleviates dystrophic muscle pathology. This evidence concerns the gene HMOX1 and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.