title: Novel Nrf2 activators from microbial transformation products inhibit blood-retinal barrier permeability in rabbits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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 the Nrf2 pathway seems protective for many organs, and although a well-known Nrf2 activator, bardoxolone methyl, was evaluated clinically for treating chronic kidney disease, it was found to induce adverse events. Many bardoxolone methyl derivatives, mostly derived by chemical modifications, have already been studied. However, we adopted a biotransformation technique to obtain a novel Nrf2 activator.
  
  
  METHODS
  The potent novel Nrf2 activator, RS9, was obtained from microbial transformation products. Its Nrf2 activity was evaluated by determining NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase-1 induction activity in Hepa1c1c7 cells. We also investigated the effects of RS9 on oxygen-induced retinopathy in rats and glycated albumin-induced blood-retinal barrier permeability in rabbits because many ocular diseases are associated with oxidative stress and inflammation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bardoxolone methyl doubled the specific activity of Nrf2 in Hepa1c1c7 cells at a much higher concentration than RS9. Moreover, the induction of Nrf2-targeted genes was observed at a one-tenth lower concentration of RS9. Interestingly, the cytotoxicity of RS9 was substantially reduced compared with bardoxolone methyl. Oral and intravitreal administration of RS9 ameliorated the pathological scores and leakage in the models of retinopathy in rats and ocular inflammation in rabbits respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nrf2 activators are applicable for treating ocular diseases and novel Nrf2 activators have potential as a unique method for prevention and treatment of retinovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakagami
authors.forename: Kayoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Emiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hatano
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iizuka
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohnuki
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kasuya
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Komoriya
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001813:Blood-Retinal Barrier / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000633:toxicity; D010539:Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000093423:Glycated Serum Albumin
chemical_list: D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2; C000602880:RS9 triterpenoid; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014315:Triterpenes; D010100:Oxygen; D000093423:Glycated Serum Albumin