The Role of Nrf2 in Pulmonary Fibrosis: Molecular Mechanisms and Treatment Approaches
Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic, progressive, incurable interstitial lung disease with high mortality after diagnosis and remains a global public health problem. Despite advances and breakthroughs in understanding the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis, there are still no effective methods for the p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Antioxidants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/11/9/1685 |
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| author | Yu Wang Juan Wei Huimin Deng Li Zheng Hao Yang Xin Lv |
| author_facet | Yu Wang Juan Wei Huimin Deng Li Zheng Hao Yang Xin Lv |
| author_sort | Yu Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic, progressive, incurable interstitial lung disease with high mortality after diagnosis and remains a global public health problem. Despite advances and breakthroughs in understanding the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis, there are still no effective methods for the prevention and treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. The existing treatment options are imperfect, expensive, and have considerable limitations in effectiveness and safety. Hence, there is an urgent need to find novel therapeutic targets. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a central regulator of cellular antioxidative responses, inflammation, and restoration of redox balance. Accumulating reports reveal that Nrf2 activators exhibit potent antifibrosis effects and significantly attenuate pulmonary fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. This review summarizes the current Nrf2-related knowledge about the regulatory mechanism and potential therapies in the process of pulmonary fibrosis. Nrf2 orchestrates the activation of multiple protective genes that target inflammation, oxidative stress, fibroblast–myofibroblast differentiation (FMD), and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and the mechanisms involve Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant, Nrf2/HO−1/NQO1, Nrf2/NOX4, and Nrf2/GSH signaling pathway. We hope to indicate potential for Nrf2 system as a therapeutic target for pulmonary fibrosis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:53:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-64a43238f8964d1484b1fcc2c4806b01 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3921 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:53:48Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antioxidants |
| spelling | doaj.art-64a43238f8964d1484b1fcc2c4806b012023-11-23T14:47:16ZengMDPI AGAntioxidants2076-39212022-08-01119168510.3390/antiox11091685The Role of Nrf2 in Pulmonary Fibrosis: Molecular Mechanisms and Treatment ApproachesYu Wang0Juan Wei1Huimin Deng2Li Zheng3Hao Yang4Xin Lv5Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, ChinaPulmonary fibrosis is a chronic, progressive, incurable interstitial lung disease with high mortality after diagnosis and remains a global public health problem. Despite advances and breakthroughs in understanding the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis, there are still no effective methods for the prevention and treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. The existing treatment options are imperfect, expensive, and have considerable limitations in effectiveness and safety. Hence, there is an urgent need to find novel therapeutic targets. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a central regulator of cellular antioxidative responses, inflammation, and restoration of redox balance. Accumulating reports reveal that Nrf2 activators exhibit potent antifibrosis effects and significantly attenuate pulmonary fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. This review summarizes the current Nrf2-related knowledge about the regulatory mechanism and potential therapies in the process of pulmonary fibrosis. Nrf2 orchestrates the activation of multiple protective genes that target inflammation, oxidative stress, fibroblast–myofibroblast differentiation (FMD), and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and the mechanisms involve Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant, Nrf2/HO−1/NQO1, Nrf2/NOX4, and Nrf2/GSH signaling pathway. We hope to indicate potential for Nrf2 system as a therapeutic target for pulmonary fibrosis.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/11/9/1685nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2pulmonary fibrosisinflammationoxidative stresssignaling pathways |
| spellingShingle | Yu Wang Juan Wei Huimin Deng Li Zheng Hao Yang Xin Lv The Role of Nrf2 in Pulmonary Fibrosis: Molecular Mechanisms and Treatment Approaches Antioxidants nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 pulmonary fibrosis inflammation oxidative stress signaling pathways |
| title | The Role of Nrf2 in Pulmonary Fibrosis: Molecular Mechanisms and Treatment Approaches |
| title_full | The Role of Nrf2 in Pulmonary Fibrosis: Molecular Mechanisms and Treatment Approaches |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Nrf2 in Pulmonary Fibrosis: Molecular Mechanisms and Treatment Approaches |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Nrf2 in Pulmonary Fibrosis: Molecular Mechanisms and Treatment Approaches |
| title_short | The Role of Nrf2 in Pulmonary Fibrosis: Molecular Mechanisms and Treatment Approaches |
| title_sort | role of nrf2 in pulmonary fibrosis molecular mechanisms and treatment approaches |
| topic | nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 pulmonary fibrosis inflammation oxidative stress signaling pathways |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/11/9/1685 |
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