Open AccessEvaluation of antioxidant activation by potential nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2)/Keap1 complex inhibitors
Author(s) -
Inas Almazari,
Shada Youssef Elhayek
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
tropical journal of pharmaceutical research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.209
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1596-5996
pISSN - 1596-9827
DOI - 10.4314/tjpr.v20i9.12
Subject(s) - keap1 , cytoprotection , activator (genetics) , oxidative stress , chemistry , enzyme , antioxidant , biochemistry , cancer research , microbiology and biotechnology , transcription factor , biology , receptor , gene
Purpose: To investigate the binding affinities of forty-one (41) National Cancer Institute (NCI)-generated compounds, to the Nrf2 ligand, and possible activation of Nrf2 in the MCF-7 cell line.Methods: To investigate the inhibition of the Nrf2/Keap1 complex, the MCF-7 cell line was treated with each of the 41 compounds, at a working concentration of 30 μM. The extent of Nrf2 activation and corresponding Nrf2/Keap1 complex inhibition was evaluated in terms of Nrf2 expression and its antioxidant-associated enzyme gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS), using western blotanalysis.Results: Twenty-nine compounds out of the 41 targeted compounds activated GCS, and some showed comparable or greater activation capacity than the standard Nrf2 activator tBHQ. To confirm that the activation of GCS was mediated via Nrf2 activation, cell lysates were tested for their Nrf2 protein expression, and it was found that Nrf2 was activated by the examined compounds for more than 24 h, indicating that the effect of the chosen compounds were not transient.Conclusion: These results might be useful for identifying better targets for cytoprotection, and for oxidative stress alleviation through Nrf2 pathway activation. Further studies are required on the effects of these targets on the prevention and treatment of various oxidative stress disorders, including cancer.