Microcystins activate nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in human liver cells in vitro - Implications for an oxidative stress induction by microcystins

Johan Lundqvist; Heidi Pekar; Agneta Oskarsson

doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.12.012

Microcystins activate nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in human liver cells in vitro - Implications for an oxidative stress induction by microcystins

Toxicon. 2017 Feb:126:47-50. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.12.012. Epub 2016 Dec 23.

Authors

Johan Lundqvist¹, Heidi Pekar², Agneta Oskarsson³

Affiliations

¹ 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.
² National Food Agency, Science Department, Chemistry Division, P.O. Box 622, 75126 Uppsala, Sweden.
³ Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7028, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.

PMID: 28017693
DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.12.012

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.

Keywords: Microcystins; Nrf2; Oxidative stress.

MeSH terms

Hep G2 Cells
Humans
Microcystins / chemistry
Microcystins / toxicity*
NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / metabolism
Oxidative Stress*
Signal Transduction

Substances

Microcystins
NF-E2-Related Factor 2
NFE2L2 protein, human