title: Role of Nrf2 in protection against traumatic brain injury in mice.
abstract: Previous studies have shown that nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays a unique role in many physiological stress processes. The present study investigated the role of Nrf2 in modulating traumatic brain injury (TBI)-induced secondary brain injury. Wild-type Nrf2 (+/+) and Nrf2 (-/-)-deficient mice were subjected to a moderately severe weight-drop impact head injury. The absence of Nrf2 function in mice resulted in exacerbated brain injury as shown by the increased severity of neurological deficit, apoptosis, and brain edema at 24h after TBI. This exacerbation of brain injury in Nrf2-deficient mice was associated with increased mRNA and protein expression of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and with decreased mRNA expression and enzymatic activity of antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes including NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and glutathione S-transferase alpha-1 (GST-alpha1), compared with their wild-type counterparts after TBI. In combination, these results suggest that Nrf2 plays an important role in protecting TBI-induced secondary brain injury, possibly by regulating inflammatory cytokines and inducing antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Handong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007527:Isoenzymes; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2; C495636:Nfe2l2 protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); C491732:Nqo1 protein, mouse; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; C119995:glutathione S-transferase alpha