 Due to its lipophilic properties, it impairs lipid bilayers in organelles such as mitochondria and nuclei.These properties of free heme can sensitize a variety of cell types to undergo programmed cell death in response to pro-inflammatory agonists, a deleterious effect that plays an important role in the pathogenesis of certain inflammatory diseases such as malaria and sepsis.There is an association between high intake of heme iron sourced from meat and increased risk of colon cancer.