scholarly journals Anti-Viral Potential and Modulation of Nrf2 by Curcumin: Pharmacological Implications

Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1228
Author(s):  
Mahdie Rahban ◽  
Mehran Habibi-Rezaei ◽  
Mansoureh Mazaheri ◽  
Luciano Saso ◽  
Ali A. Moosavi-Movahedi

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is an essential transcription factor that maintains the cell’s redox balance state and reduces inflammation in different adverse stresses. Under the oxidative stress, Nrf2 is separated from Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), which is a key sensor of oxidative stress, translocated to the nucleus, interacts with the antioxidant response element (ARE) in the target gene, and then activates the transcriptional pathway to ameliorate the cellular redox condition. Curcumin is a yellow polyphenolic curcuminoid from Curcuma longa (turmeric) that has revealed a broad spectrum of bioactivities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and anti-viral activities. Curcumin significantly increases the nuclear expression levels and promotes the biological effects of Nrf2 via the interaction with Cys151 in Keap1, which makes it a marvelous therapeutic candidate against a broad range of oxidative stress-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes (T2D), neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers, viral infections, and more recently SARS-CoV-2. Currently, the multifactorial property of the diseases and lack of adequate medical treatment, especially in viral diseases, result in developing new strategies to finding potential drugs. Curcumin potentially opens up new views as possible Nrf2 activator. However, its low bioavailability that is due to low solubility and low stability in the physiological conditions is a significant challenge in the field of its efficient and effective utilization in medicinal purposes. In this review, we summarized recent studies on the potential effect of curcumin to activate Nrf2 as the design of potential drugs for a viral infection like SARS-Cov2 and acute and chronic inflammation diseases in order to improve the cells’ protection.

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuhiro Nakagami

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a redox-sensitive transcription factor that binds to antioxidant response elements located in the promoter region of genes encoding many antioxidant enzymes and phase II detoxifying enzymes. Activation of Nrf2 functions is one of the critical defensive mechanisms against oxidative stress in many species. The retina is constantly exposed to reactive oxygen species, and oxidative stress is a major contributor to age-related macular diseases. Moreover, the resulting inflammation and neuronal degeneration are also related to other retinal diseases. The well-known Nrf2 activators, bardoxolone methyl and its derivatives, have been the subject of a number of clinical trials, including those aimed at treating chronic kidney disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and mitochondrial myopathies. Recent studies suggest that Nrf2 activation protects the retina from retinal diseases. In particular, this is supported by the finding that Nrf2 knockout mice display age-related retinal degeneration. Moreover, the concept has been validated by the efficacy of Nrf2 activators in a number of retinal pathological models. We have also recently succeeded in generating a novel Nrf2 activator, RS9, using a biotransformation technique. This review discusses current links between retinal diseases and Nrf2 and the possibility of treating retinal diseases by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-160
Author(s):  
Feri Eko Hermanto ◽  
Aris Soewondo ◽  
Hideo Tsuboi ◽  
Mansur Ibrahim ◽  
Muhaimin Rifa'i

Introduction: Recent studies have reported that breast cancer may affect the physiology of other organs, including oxidative stress in the liver. On the other hand, some agents such as white turmeric (Curcuma longa) and Meniran (Phyllanthus niruri) seem to maintain redox stability and immunomodulation. Both of them are combined into Cheral potion. This study was aimed to investigate the Cheral efficacy in modulating oxidative stress based on Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), HEME OXIGenase (HO), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines under breast cancer condition in vivo. Methods: Nrf2, HO, and SOD from hepatocytes, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) from splenocytes were measured by flow cytometry after 14 days of Cheral administration. Results: The results showed that mice model for breast cancer underwent oxidative stress denoted by high levels of HO, and SOD accompanied by increased levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ in the cancer group compared to normal healthy group (P<0.05). In contrast, Cheral treatment was able to modulate redox balance by declining levels of HO, SOD, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, but not Nrf2, compared to cancer group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that breast cancer could alter the host’s physiology, including liver oxidative stress. The levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ might contribute to regulation of redox balance in the liver. However, Cheral has potency as an alternative therapeutic agent to reduce oxidative stress in the liver under breast cancer condition.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Maiocchi ◽  
Ana Cartaya ◽  
Sydney Thai ◽  
Adam Akerman ◽  
Edward Bahnson

Atherosclerotic disease is the leading cause of death world-wide with few novel therapies available despite the ongoing health burden. Redox dysfunction is a well-established driver of atherosclerotic progression; however, the clinical translation of redox-based therapies is lacking. One of the challenges facing redox-based therapies is their targeted delivery to cellular domains of redox dysregulation. In the current study, we sought to develop Antioxidant Response Activating nanoParticles (ARAPas), encapsulating redox-based interventions, that exploit macrophage biology and the dysfunctional endothelium in order to selectively accumulate in atherosclerotic plaque. We employed flash nanoprecipitation (FNP) to synthesize bio-compatible polymeric nanoparticles encapsulating the hydrophobic Nrf2 activator drug, CDDO-Methyl (CDDOMe-ARAPas). Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-activators are a promising class of redox-active drug molecules whereby activation of Nrf2 results in the expression of several antioxidant and cyto-protective enzymes that can be athero-protective. In this study, we characterize the physiochemical properties of CDDOMe-ARAPas as well as confirm their in vitro internalization by murine macrophages. Drug release of CDDOMe was determined by Nrf2-driven GFP fluorescence. Moreover, we show that these CDDOMe-ARAPas exert anti-inflammatory effects in classically activated macrophages. Finally, we show that CDDOMe-ARAPas selectively accumulate in atherosclerotic plaque of two widely-used murine models of atherosclerosis: ApoE−/− and LDLr−/− mice, and are capable of increasing gene expression of Nrf2-transcriptional targets in the atherosclerotic aortic arch. Future work will assess the therapeutic efficacy of intra-plaque Nrf2 activation with CDDOMe-ARAPas to inhibit atherosclerotic plaque progression. Overall, our present studies underline that targeting of atherosclerotic plaque is an effective means to enhance delivery of redox-based interventions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (24) ◽  
pp. 6131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yafang Wang ◽  
Fugui Jiang ◽  
Haijian Cheng ◽  
Xiuwen Tan ◽  
Yifan Liu ◽  
...  

Oxidative stress can damage intestinal epithelial cell integrity and function, causing gastrointestinal disorders. Astragaloside IV (ASIV) exhibits a variety of biological and pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. The purpose of this research was to investigate the cytoprotective action of ASIV and its mechanisms in calf small intestine epithelial cells with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress. ASIV pretreatment not only increased cell survival, but it also decreased reactive oxygen species generation and apoptosis, enhanced superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase levels, and it reduced malondialdehyde formation. Furthermore, pretreatment with ASIV elevated the mRNA and protein levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NFE2L2), heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1), and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1). The NFE2L2 inhibitor ML385 inhibited NFE2L2 expression and then blocked HMOX1 and NQO1 expression. These results demonstrate that ASIV treatment effectively protects against H2O2-induced oxidative damage in calf small intestine epithelial cells through the activation of the NFE2L2-antioxidant response element signaling pathway.


Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Peserico ◽  
Chiara Stranieri ◽  
Ulisse Garbin ◽  
Chiara Mozzini C ◽  
Elisa Danese ◽  
...  

Background: While reperfusion is crucial for survival after an episode of ischemia, it also causes oxidative stress. Nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and unfolded protein response (UPR) are protective against oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Ezetimibe, a cholesterol absorption inhibitor, has been shown to activate the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/Nrf2 pathway. In this study we evaluated whether Ezetimibe affects oxidative stress and Nrf2 and UPR gene expression in cellular models of ischemia-reperfusion (IR). Methods: Cultured cells were subjected to simulated IR with or without Ezetimibe. Results: IR significantly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the percentage of apoptotic cells without the up-regulation of Nrf2, of the related antioxidant response element (ARE) gene expression or of the pro-survival UPR activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) gene, whereas it significantly increased the pro-apoptotic CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP). Ezetimibe significantly decreased the cellular ROS formation and apoptosis induced by IR. These effects were paralleled by the up-regulation of Nrf2/ARE and ATF6 gene expression and by a down-regulation of CHOP. We also found that Nrf2 activation was dependent on AMPK, since Compound C, a pan inhibitor of p-AMPK, blunted the activation of Nrf2. Conclusions: Ezetimibe counteracts IR-induced oxidative stress and induces Nrf2 and UPR pathway activation.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas D Avery ◽  
Jiahe Li ◽  
Dion J. L. Turner ◽  
Fisher R. Cherry ◽  
Mohd S. Ur Rasheed ◽  
...  

The antioxidant nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a desirable therapeutic target for a broad range of pathologies, including chronic diseases of the lung and liver, and autoimmune, neurodegenerative, and cardiovascular disorders. However, current Nrf2 activators are limited by unwanted effects due to non-specificity, and systemic distribution and action. Here we report that a 1,2-dicarbonyl moiety masks the electrophilic reactivity of the Nrf2 activator monomethyl fumarate (MMF), otherwise responsible for its non-specific effects. The 1,2-dicarbonyl compound is highly susceptible to Baeyer-Villiger oxidation, with generation of MMF specifically on exposure to pathological levels of hydrogen peroxide or peroxynitrite. Oral treatment with the MMF generating 1,2-dicarbonyl compound reversed chronic neuropathic and osteoarthritis pain in mice, and selectively activated Nrf2 at sites of oxidative stress. This 1,2-dicarbonyl platform may be used to treat additional disorders of oxidative stress, and to selectively target other therapeutics to sites of redox imbalance.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1610
Author(s):  
Reziyamu Wufuer ◽  
Zhuo Fan ◽  
Keli Liu ◽  
Yiguo Zhang

In the past 25 years, Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, also called NFE2L2) had been preferentially parsed as a master hub of regulating antioxidant, detoxification, and cytoprotective genes; albeit as a matter of fact that Nrf1 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 1, also called NFE2L1)—rather than Nrf2—is indispensable for cell homeostasis and organ integrity during normal growth and development. Herein, distinct genotypic cell lines (i.e., Nrf1α−/−, Nrf2−/−ΔTA, and caNrf2ΔN) are employed to determine differential yet integral roles of Nrf1 and Nrf2 in mediating antioxidant responsive genes to tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) serving as a pro-oxidative stressor. In Nrf1α−/− cells, Nrf2 was highly accumulated but also could not fully compensate specific loss of Nrf1α’s function in its basal cytoprotective response against endogenous oxidative stress, though it exerted partially inducible antioxidant response, as the hormetic effect of tBHQ, against apoptotic damages. By contrast, Nrf2−/−ΔTA cells gave rise to a substantial reduction of Nrf1 in both basal and tBHQ-stimulated expression levels and hence resulted in obvious oxidative stress, but it can still be allowed to mediate a potent antioxidant response, as accompanied by a significantly decreased ratio of GSSG (oxidized glutathione) to GSH (reduced glutathione). Conversely, a remarkable increase of Nrf1 expression resulted from the constitutive active caNrf2ΔN cells, which were not manifested with oxidative stress, whether or not it was intervened with tBHQ. Such inter-regulatory effects of Nrf1 and Nrf2 on the antioxidant and detoxification genes (encoding HO-1, NQO1, GCLC, GCLM, GSR, GPX1, TALDO, MT1E, and MT2), as well on the ROS (reactive oxygen species)-scavenging activities of SOD (superoxide dismutase) and CAT (catalase), were further investigated. The collective results unraveled that Nrf1 and Nrf2 make distinctive yet cooperative contributions to finely tuning basal constitutive and/or tBHQ-inducible expression levels of antioxidant cytoprotective genes in the inter-regulatory networks. Overall, Nrf1 acts as a brake control for Nrf2’s functionality to be confined within a certain extent, whilst its transcription is regulated by Nrf2.


2016 ◽  
Vol 130 (15) ◽  
pp. 1375-1387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devy Deliyanti ◽  
Jae Young Lee ◽  
Steven Petratos ◽  
Colin J. Meyer ◽  
Keith W. Ward ◽  
...  

A novel and potent nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) activator, dh404, attenuates retinal vasculopathy by reducing oxidative stress-mediated damage to glia. Nrf2 agonists represent an effective strategy to improve vision-threatening glial and vascular cell pathology in ischaemic retinopathies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Lai Jiang ◽  
Yanping Gong ◽  
Jie Rao ◽  
Qiuhong Yang ◽  
Na Gao ◽  
...  

1-O-Hexyl-2,3,5-trimethylhydroquinone (HTHQ), a potent nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activator, has potent antioxidant activity by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the role of HTHQ on the development of preeclampsia (PE) and the underlying mechanisms have barely been explored. In the present study, PE model was induced by adenovirus-mediated overexpression of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) in pregnant mice. The results showed that HTHQ treatment significantly relieved the high systolic blood pressure (SBP) and proteinuria and increased the fetal weight and fetal weight/placenta weight in preeclamptic mice. Furthermore, we found that HTHQ treatment significantly decreased soluble endoglin (sEng), endothelin-1 (ET-1), and activin A and restored vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in preeclamptic mice. In addition, HTHQ treatment inhibited oxidative stress and endothelial cell apoptosis by increasing the levels of Nrf2 and its downstream haemoxygenase-1 (HO-1) protein. In line with the data in vivo, we discovered that HTHQ treatment attenuated oxidative stress and cell apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) following hypoxia and reperfusion (H/R), and the HTHQ-mediated protection was lost after transfected with siNrf2. In conclusion, these results suggested that HTHQ ameliorates the development of preeclampsia through suppression of oxidative stress and endothelial cell apoptosis.


Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazi N Islam ◽  
David J Polhemus ◽  
Erminia Donnarumma ◽  
Hiroyuki Otsuka ◽  
Shashi Bhushan ◽  
...  

Background: Cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3-MST) are enzymatic sources of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Functions of H2S are mediated by several targets including ion channels and signaling proteins. Nuclear factor-erythriod 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) is responsible for the expression of antioxidant response element (ARE)-regulated genes and is known to be upregulated by H2S. We examined the levels of H2S producing enzymes, H2S, and NRF2 activation status in skeletal muscle obtained from CLI patients. Methods: Gastrocnemius tissues were attained post amputation from human CLI and aged-matched control patients. Tissue H2S levels were measured using gas chromatography methods coupled with sulfur chemiluminescence. RT-qPCR, immunoblot, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) were used to analyze respective gene expression, protein levels, and DNA binding activity, respectively. Results: We found mRNA and protein levels of CSE, CBS, and 3-MST were significantly decreased in skeletal muscle of CLI (~2 fold, p < 0.05) patients as compared to control. H2S and sulfane sulfur levels were significantly decreased in skeletal muscle of CLI patients. We also observed significant reductions in NRF2 activation (2 fold, p < 0.05) as well as antioxidant proteins, such as CuZn-superoxide dismutase (2 fold, p < 0.05), catalase (2 fold, p < 0.05), and glutathione peroxidase (2 fold, p < 0.05) in skeletal muscle of CLI patients. Biomarkers of oxidative stress, such as malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl formation were significantly increased (2 fold, p < 0.05) in skeletal muscle of CLI patients as compared to age-matched controls. Conclusions: The data demonstrate that H2S bioavailability and NRF2 activation are both attenuated in CLI tissues concomitant with significantly increased oxidative stress. Reductions in the activity of H2S producing enzymes may contribute to the pathogenesis of CLI.


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