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Culletta G, Buttari B, Arese M, Brogi S, Almerico AM, Saso L, Tutone M. Natural products as non-covalent and covalent modulators of the KEAP1/NRF2 pathway exerting antioxidant effects. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 270:116355. [PMID: 38555855 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
By controlling several antioxidant and detoxifying genes at the transcriptional level, including NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRPs), UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT), glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC) and modifier (GCLM) subunits, glutathione S-transferase (GST), sulfiredoxin1 (SRXN1), and heme-oxygenase-1 (HMOX1), the KEAP1/NRF2 pathway plays a crucial role in the oxidative stress response. Accordingly, the discovery of modulators of this pathway, activating cellular signaling through NRF2, and targeting the antioxidant response element (ARE) genes is pivotal for the development of effective antioxidant agents. In this context, natural products could represent promising drug candidates for supplementation to provide antioxidant capacity to human cells. In recent decades, by coupling in silico and experimental methods, several natural products have been characterized to exert antioxidant effects by targeting the KEAP1/NRF2 pathway. In this review article, we analyze several natural products that were investigated experimentally and in silico for their ability to modulate KEAP1/NRF2 by non-covalent and covalent mechanisms. These latter represent the two main sections of this article. For each class of inhibitors, we reviewed their antioxidant effects and potential therapeutic applications, and where possible, we analyzed the structure-activity relationship (SAR). Moreover, the main computational techniques used for the most promising identified compounds are detailed in this survey, providing an updated view on the development of natural products as antioxidant agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Culletta
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università Degli Studi di Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, 90123, Palermo, Italy
| | - Brigitta Buttari
- Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-metabolic Diseases, and Aging, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Marzia Arese
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Simone Brogi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy; Bioinformatics Research Center, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, 81746-73461, Iran.
| | - Anna Maria Almerico
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università Degli Studi di Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, 90123, Palermo, Italy
| | - Luciano Saso
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, P.Le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Tutone
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università Degli Studi di Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, 90123, Palermo, Italy.
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Nguyen V, Taine EG, Meng D, Cui T, Tan W. Pharmacological Activities, Therapeutic Effects, and Mechanistic Actions of Trigonelline. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3385. [PMID: 38542359 PMCID: PMC10970276 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25063385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Trigonelline (TRG) is a natural polar hydrophilic alkaloid that is found in many plants such as green coffee beans and fenugreek seeds. TRG potentially acts on multiple molecular targets, including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, glycogen synthase kinase, tyrosinase, nerve growth factor, estrogen receptor, amyloid-β peptide, and several neurotransmitter receptors. In this review, we systematically summarize the pharmacological activities, medicinal properties, and mechanistic actions of TRG as a potential therapeutic agent. Mechanistically, TRG can facilitate the maintenance and restoration of the metabolic homeostasis of glucose and lipids. It can counteract inflammatory constituents at multiple levels by hampering pro-inflammatory factor release, alleviating inflammatory propagation, and attenuating tissue injury. It concurrently modulates oxidative stress by the blockage of the detrimental Nrf2 pathway when autophagy is impaired. Therefore, it exerts diverse therapeutic effects on a variety of pathological conditions associated with chronic metabolic diseases and age-related disorders. It shows multidimensional effects, including neuroprotection from neurodegenerative disorders and diabetic peripheral neuropathy, neuromodulation, mitigation of cardiovascular disorders, skin diseases, diabetic mellitus, liver and kidney injuries, and anti-pathogen and anti-tumor activities. Further validations are required to define its specific targeting molecules, dissect the underlying mechanistic networks, and corroborate its efficacy in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vi Nguyen
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29209, USA;
| | | | - Dehao Meng
- Applied Physics Program, California State University San Marcos, San Marcos, CA 92096, USA
| | - Taixing Cui
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA;
| | - Wenbin Tan
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29209, USA;
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
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Feng M, Hu Y, Yang L, Wu J, Yang G, Jian S, Hu B, Wen C. GST-Mu of Cristaria plicata is regulated by Nrf2/Keap1 pathway in detoxification microcystin and has antioxidant function. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 263:106708. [PMID: 37776712 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Glutathione S-transferase is a crucial phase II metabolic enzyme involved in detoxification and metabolism in aquatic organisms. This study aimed to investigate the regulation of Nrf2/Keap1 pathway on microcystin-induced CpGST-Mu expression and CpGST-Mu resistance to hydrogen peroxide. A mu class GST from Cristaria plicata (CpGST-Mu) was identified. The full-length cDNA was 1026 bp, with an open reading frame of 558 bp. Subcellular localization revealed that CpGST-Mu was localized in cytoplasm. The optimum pH and temperature for the catalytic activity of CpGST-Mu protein was pH 6 and 40 °C, respectively. The results of Real-time quantitative PCR showed that CpGST-Mu mRNA was constitutively expressed in tissues, with the highest expression level in hepatopancreas and the lowest expression level in gill. The mRNA level of CpGST-Mu was significantly increased under the stress of microcystins and hydrogen peroxide. CpGST-Mu had an antagonistic effect on hydrogen peroxide. In the knockdown experiments, the mRNA levels of CpGST-Mu exhibited corresponding changes while Nrf2 and Keap1 genes were individually knocked down. These findings indicated that GST-Mu exhibited antioxidant properties and its expression was regulated by Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway. The study provided new information on the function of GST-Mu and could contribute to future studies on how to excrete microcystins in molluscs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maolin Feng
- College of Life Science, Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Yile Hu
- College of Life Science, Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Lang Yang
- College of Life Science, Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Jielian Wu
- Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, 11318, China
| | - Gang Yang
- College of Life Science, Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Shaoqing Jian
- College of Life Science, Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Baoqing Hu
- College of Life Science, Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
| | - Chungen Wen
- College of Life Science, Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
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Kamila S, Shaw P, Islam S, Chattopadhyay A. Ecotoxicology of hexavalent chromium in fish: An updated review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 890:164395. [PMID: 37257624 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Chromium (Cr) is prevalently found in trivalent and hexavalent forms. Though the former is toxicologically benign due to its poor cellular permeability, hexavalent chromium i.e. Cr [VI] crosses the biological membrane and induces toxic effects in organisms. While Cr [VI] toxicity in humans is a subject of occupational exposure at industries involved in ferrochrome production, leather tanning, textile dyeing etc., aquatic abundance of Cr [VI] due to discharge of Cr-laden effluents by these industries lead to extensive toxicity in piscine species. The present review aims to discuss the mode of Cr [VI] entry in fish and the several inimical effects that it imparts on fish health. Such effects have been reported in various studies through behavioral, hormonal and hematological alterations. Bio-accumulation of Cr [VI] in vital organs and subsequent perturbation of the oxidative homeostasis leads to organotoxic effects like changes in organo-somatic indices and histo-architecture. At cellular level, Cr [VI] induced genotoxicity is often found to trigger cellular demise including apoptosis. This review also highlights the stress response in fish against Cr [VI] induced toxicity that is mediated through the expressional alteration of a myriad of anti-oxidant and xenobiotic-metabolizing proteins which is, in turn, a function of activated transcription programs including the Nrf2-ARE pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreejata Kamila
- Department of Zoology, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan 731235, West Bengal, India
| | - Pallab Shaw
- Department of Zoology, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan 731235, West Bengal, India
| | - Shehnaz Islam
- Department of Zoology, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan 731235, West Bengal, India
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Banerjee J, Hasan SN, Samanta S, Giri B, Bag BG, Dash SK. Self-Assembled Maslinic Acid Attenuates Doxorobucin Induced Cytotoxicity via Nrf2 Signaling Pathway: An In Vitro and In Silico Study in Human Healthy Cells. Cell Biochem Biophys 2022; 80:563-578. [PMID: 35849306 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-022-01083-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The clinical applications of some well-known chemotherapeutic drugs for cancer treatment have been restricted nowadays owing to their adverse effects on many physiological systems. In this experimental study, maslinic acid (MA) isolated from Olea europaea (Olive) fruit extract was used to mitigate the cytotoxicity induced by Doxorubicin (DOX) in human healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs). Self-assembled maslinic acid (SA-MA) was obtained in ethanol-water mixture (35.5 mM: 4:1 v/v). The morphology of SA-MA was analyzed by various physicochemical characterization techniques, which revealed its micro-metric vesicular architecture as well as nano-vesicular appearances. In this study, treatment of hPBMCs with DOX has been found to generate severe intracellular oxidative stress, which was significantly mitigated after pre-treatment with SA-MA. Alteration of hPBMC morphologies after DOX treatment was also restored notably by pre-treatment with SA-MA. Furthermore, pentoxifylline (TNF-α inhibitor) and indomethacin (COX-2 inhibitor) were used to investigate the responsible pathway by which SA-MA protected hPBMCs from DOX-induced cellular stress. Restoration of hPBMC viability above 92% in both cases confirmed that SA-MA protected the cells by inhibiting inflammatory pathways generated by DOX treatment. Subsequently, in molecular docking study, it was also evaluated that MA could successfully bind with the pocket region of Keap1, while Nrf2 was capable of upregulating cytoprotecting genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhimli Banerjee
- Department of Physiology, University of Gour Banga, Malda, West Bengal, 732103, India
| | - Sk Nurul Hasan
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, 721102, India
| | - Sovan Samanta
- Department of Physiology, University of Gour Banga, Malda, West Bengal, 732103, India
| | - Biplab Giri
- Department of Physiology, University of Gour Banga, Malda, West Bengal, 732103, India
| | - Braja Gopal Bag
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, 721102, India.
| | - Sandeep Kumar Dash
- Department of Physiology, University of Gour Banga, Malda, West Bengal, 732103, India.
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Jin L, Kom MC, Fu G, Xie Y, Gao Y, Shen J, Huang H, Hu B, Yan J. Hexavalent chromium induces hepatocyte apoptosis via regulation of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1/c-Jun amino-terminal kinase signaling. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2022; 37:1288-1296. [PMID: 35166444 DOI: 10.1002/tox.23483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
With the spread of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) contamination, Cr(VI)-induced hepatotoxicity has attracted increasing attention in recent years. To date, however, the exact mechanism of Cr(VI) toxicity remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1)/c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) in Cr(VI)-induced hepatic toxicity and the possible related mechanisms. AML-12 hepatocyte cell-lines were treated with 0, 1, 4, and 16 μmol/Lof Cr(VI) with or without GS-444271 (an ASK1 inhibitor). Adult male mice were administered with 0, 2, 8, and 32 mg/kg body mass (BM)/day of Cr(VI) for 5 days. The level of hepatocyte apoptosis/proliferation, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and expression levels of mRNAs and proteins related to ASK1/JNK and nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling were assessed. Results showed that high Cr(VI) exposure induced hepatocyte apoptosis and liver injury by generation of ROS and down-regulation of Nrf2 signaling. In addition, ASK1/JNK signaling activity was upregulated in the Cr(VI)-treated group. Furthermore, GS-444217 treatment significantly rescued Cr(VI)-induced hepatocyte apoptosis and liver dysfunction in vitro and in vivo by down-regulation of ASK1/JNK signaling. Thus, ASK1/JNK signaling appears to play an important role in Cr(VI)-induced hepatocyte apoptosis and liver injury. This study should help improve our understanding of the mechanism of Cr(VI)-induced liver injury and provide support for future investigations on liver disease therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifang Jin
- School of Life Science, Shaoxing University, Zhejiang, China
| | | | - Guoquan Fu
- School of Life Science, Shaoxing University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yixia Xie
- School of Life Science, Shaoxing University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yue Gao
- School of Life Science, Shaoxing University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiayuan Shen
- School of Life Science, Shaoxing University, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huarong Huang
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Baowei Hu
- School of Life Science, Shaoxing University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Junyan Yan
- School of Life Science, Shaoxing University, Zhejiang, China
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Zhou Q, Zhang N, Hu T, Xu H, Duan X, Liu B, Chen F, Wang M. Dietary phenolic-type Nrf2-activators: implications in the control of toxin-induced hepatic disorders. Food Funct 2022; 13:5480-5497. [PMID: 35411358 DOI: 10.1039/d1fo04237h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Numerous studies have exemplified the importance of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation in the alleviation of toxin-induced hepatic disorders primarily through eliminating oxidative stress. Whereafter, increasingly more efforts have been contributed to finding Nrf2-activators, especially from dietary polyphenols. The present review summarized the phenolic-type Nrf2-activators published in the past few decades, analyzed their effectiveness based on their structural characteristics and outlined their related mechanisms. It turns out that flavonoids are the largest group of phenolic-type Nrf2-activators, followed by nonflavonoids and phenolic acids. When counting on subgroups, the top three types are flavonols, flavones, and hydroxycinnamic acids, with curcuminoids having the highest effective doses. Moreover, most polyphenols work through the phosphorylation of Nrf2. Besides, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and protein kinase B (Akt) are the frequent targets of these Nrf2-activators, which indirectly mediate the behavior of Nrf2. However, current data are not sufficient to conclude any structure-activity relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhou
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China. .,Institute for Innovative Development of Food Industry, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Nana Zhang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tingyan Hu
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China. .,Institute for Innovative Development of Food Industry, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Hui Xu
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China. .,Institute for Innovative Development of Food Industry, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Xinxing Duan
- Schlegel Research Institute for Aging & Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Bin Liu
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China. .,Institute for Innovative Development of Food Industry, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Feng Chen
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China. .,Institute for Innovative Development of Food Industry, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Mingfu Wang
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China. .,Institute for Innovative Development of Food Industry, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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Wang L, Bayanbold K, Zhao L, Wang Y, Adamcakova-Dodd A, Thorne PS, Yang H, Jiang BH, Liu LZ. Redox sensitive miR-27a/b/Nrf2 signaling in Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 809:151118. [PMID: 34718002 PMCID: PMC9387726 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a well-known carcinogen that can cause several types of cancer including lung cancer. NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), the redox sensitive transcription factor, can protect normal cells from a variety of toxicants and carcinogens by inducing the expression of cellular protective genes and maintaining redox balance. However, Nrf2 also protects cancer cells from radio- and chemo-therapies and facilitates cancer progression. Although Cr(VI) treatment has been demonstrated to upregulate Nrf2 expression, the mechanisms for Nrf2 regulation upon chronic Cr(VI) exposure remain to be elucidated. We found that Nrf2 was upregulated in BEAS-2B cells exposed to Cr(VI) from 1 to 5 months, and also in Cr(VI)-induced transformed (Cr-T) cells with Cr(VI) treatment for 6 months. We showed that KEAP1, the classic negative regulator of Nrf2, was downregulated after Cr(VI) exposure for 4 months, suggesting that Nrf2 induction by Cr(VI) treatment is through KEAP1 decrease at late stage. To further decipher the mechanisms of Nrf2 upregulation at early stage of Cr(VI) exposure, we demonstrated that miR-27a and miR-27b were redox sensitive miRNAs, since reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers induced miR-27a/b expression. After Cr(VI) exposure for 1 month, the expression levels of miR-27a/b was dramatically decreased. The changes of miR-27a/b and their target Nrf2 were confirmed in vivo by mouse model intranasally exposed to Cr(VI) for 12 weeks. Nrf2 was a direct target of miR-27a/b, which acted as tumor suppressors in vitro and in vivo to inhibit tumorigenesis and cancer development of Cr-T cells. The results suggested that the inhibition of miR-27a/b was responsible for Nrf2 upregulation at both early stage and late stage of Cr(VI) exposure. This novel regulation of Nrf2 upon chronic Cr(VI) exposure through redox-regulated miR-27a/b will provide potential targets for preventing and treating Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wang
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Khaliunaa Bayanbold
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Lei Zhao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Yifang Wang
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Andrea Adamcakova-Dodd
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Peter S Thorne
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Hushan Yang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Bing-Hua Jiang
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
| | - Ling-Zhi Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
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The Role of Toxic Metals and Metalloids in Nrf2 Signaling. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10050630. [PMID: 33918986 PMCID: PMC8142989 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10050630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), an emerging regulator of cellular resistance to oxidants, serves as one of the key defensive factors against a range of pathological processes such as oxidative damage, carcinogenesis, as well as various harmful chemicals, including metals. An increase in human exposure to toxic metals via air, food, and water has been recently observed, which is mainly due to anthropogenic activities. The relationship between environmental exposure to heavy metals, particularly cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and nickel (Ni), as well as metaloid arsenic (As), and transition metal chromium (Cr), and the development of various human diseases has been extensively investigated. Their ability to induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production through direct and indirect actions and cause oxidative stress has been documented in various organs. Taking into account that Nrf2 signaling represents an important pathway in maintaining antioxidant balance, recent research indicates that it can play a dual role depending on the specific biological context. On one side, Nrf2 represents a potential crucial protective mechanism in metal-induced toxicity, but on the other hand, it can also be a trigger of metal-induced carcinogenesis under conditions of prolonged exposure and continuous activation. Thus, this review aims to summarize the state-of-the-art knowledge regarding the functional interrelation between the toxic metals and Nrf2 signaling.
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