title: Microcystins activate nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in human liver cells in vitro - Implications for an oxidative stress induction by microcystins.
abstract: Microcystins, a potential threat to drinking water quality, are hepatotoxic but it has remained unclear if microcystins induce oxidative stress. We investigated if four microcystins could activate the Nrf2 pathway, a regulator of oxidative stress response. Nrf2 activity was significantly increased by microcystin-LR and -RR at 10 μM, by microcystin-LY at 3 μM, by [D-Asp3]-LR and by microcystin-LR at 1 μM. Our results lend support to the suggestion that microcystins may induce oxidative stress response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7028, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: johan.lundqvist@slu.se.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lundqvist
authors.affiliation: National Food Agency, Science Department, Chemistry Division, P.O. Box 622, 75126 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pekar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7028, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Agneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oskarsson
mesh_terms: D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D052998:Microcystins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D052998:Microcystins; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2; C495635:NFE2L2 protein, human
keywords: Microcystins; Nrf2; Oxidative stress