Nrf2 deficiency aggravates PM2.5-induced cardiomyopathy by enhancing oxidative stress, fibrosis and inflammation via RIPK3-regulated mitochondrial disorder.

In this study, wild type (Nrf2+/+) and Nrf2 knockout (Nrf2-/-) mice were exposed to PM2.5 for 6 months. After PM2.5 exposure, Nrf2-/- mice developed severe physiological changes, lung injury and cardiac dysfunction. In the PM2.5-exposed hearts, Nrf2 deficiency caused significant collagen accumulation through promoting the expression of fibrosis-associated signals. Additionally, Nrf2-/- mice exhibited greater oxidative stress in cardiac tissues after PM2.5 exposure. Furthermore, PM2.5-induced inflammation in heart samples were accelerated in Nrf2-/- mice through promoting inhibitor of α/nuclear factor κB (IκBα/NF-κB) signaling pathways. We also found that Nrf2-/- aggravated autophagy initiation and glucose metabolism disorder in hearts of mice with PM2.5 challenge. Cardiac receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) expression triggered by PM2.5 was further enhanced in mice with the loss of Nrf2. Collectively, these results suggested that strategies for enhancing Nrf2 could be used to treat PM2.5-induced cardiovascular diseases. PMID: 32182211 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Aging - Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Tags: Aging (Albany NY) Source Type: research