Activation of Nrf2 pathway as a protective mechanism against oxidative stress-induced diseases: Potential of astaxanthin

Osman N Kanwugu; Tatiana V Glukhareva

doi:10.1016/j.abb.2023.109601

Activation of Nrf2 pathway as a protective mechanism against oxidative stress-induced diseases: Potential of astaxanthin

Arch Biochem Biophys. 2023 Jun:741:109601. doi: 10.1016/j.abb.2023.109601. Epub 2023 Apr 20.

Authors

Osman N Kanwugu¹, Tatiana V Glukhareva²

Affiliations

¹ School of Natural Sciences, and ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia; Institute of Chemical Engineering, Ural Federal University Named After the First President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Mira Street 28, 620002, Ekaterinburg, Russia. Electronic address: nabayire@gmail.com.
² Institute of Chemical Engineering, Ural Federal University Named After the First President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Mira Street 28, 620002, Ekaterinburg, Russia.

PMID: 37086962
DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2023.109601

Abstract

Astaxanthin, a red-orange liposoluble carotenoid, has been the centre of considerable attention in recent years for its numerous biological activities, notably its potent antioxidant activity. It is reported that astaxanthin elicits these biological activities via a number of cellular pathways. The Nrf2/Keap1 pathway is a major regulator of the antioxidant defence system of cells; it modulates the expression of a plethora of genes related to redox homeostasis as well as cellular detoxification. The pathway has received lots of attention as a prospective therapeutic target for diseases related to oxidative stress and inflammation. Several reports have shown that the pathway is inducible by many natural compounds. This present work reviews the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway, its regulation and involvement in diseases, provides a brief overview of naturally occurring compounds as activators of the pathway as well as discusses the effect of astaxanthin on the pathway.

Keywords: Antioxidant; Carotenoid; Free radicals; Keap1; Natural product; Redox homeostasis; Xanthophyll.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Antioxidants / metabolism
Antioxidants / pharmacology
Humans
Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1 / metabolism
NF-E2-Related Factor 2* / metabolism
Oxidation-Reduction
Oxidative Stress*

Substances

Antioxidants
astaxanthine
Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1
NF-E2-Related Factor 2
NFE2L2 protein, human