zinc protoporphyrin

Zinc protoporphyrin is a coordination complex of zinc and protoporphyrin IX. It is a red-purple solid that forms in red blood cells when heme synthesis is disrupted—typically due to lead poisoning or iron deficiency—because these conditions inhibit the insertion of iron into protoporphyrin IX. Clinically, elevated levels of zinc protoporphyrin are used as a biomarker for lead exposure and iron deficiency anemia. Mechanistically, zinc protoporphyrin acts as a competitive inhibitor of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an enzyme involved in cellular protection against oxidative stress. Inhibition of HO-1 by zinc protoporphyrin increases reactive oxygen species within cells and sensitizes cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents and radiation therapy; this has led to its investigation as an experimental anti-cancer agent[3][4][5]. It is not approved for therapeutic use but has been studied preclinically for its potential anti-tumor properties.

Other names

protoporphyrin IX containing Znzinc protoporphyrinZPPP