Nrf2 protects against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by suppressing programmed necrosis and inflammatory signaling pathways

BACKGROUND: The NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) -mediated neuroinflammation is linked to neuronal necroptosis in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, especially in cerebral ischemic penumbra. This study was designed to investigate the regulation of nuclear factor E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) on NLRP3 inflammasome in necroptosis signal pathway induced by I/R injury. METHODS: We investigated the mechanisms of Nrf2-negative regulation in necroptosis signaling pathway by using middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) with Q-VD-OPH injected intraperitoneally. The protein level of the NLRP3 inflammasome was detected by western blot with Nrf2 knockdown and overexpression. NLRP3 inflammasome activation was Reactive oxygen species (ROS) dependent, and the protein level was regulated when N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) were selected as tools for regulating ROS. RESULTS: We demonstrated the negative regulation of Nrf2 on NLRP3 inflammasome activation in Q-VD-OPH-induced necroptosis in cerebral artery I/R injury through Lentivirus-mediated RNA Interferenc, which mediated knockdown and overexpression of Nrf2. NLRP3 inflammasome activation was sensitive to both ATP-mediated ROS level increases and NAC-mediated ROS inhibition, suggesting that ROS is associated with the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in necroptosis. In addition, Nrf2-induced NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1) was involved in the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation. These results suggest that Nrf2 regulates NQO1 to attenuate ROS, which negatively regulates NLRP3 inflammasome. CONCLUSIONS: Nrf2/NQO1 was an inhibitor of ROS-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation in Q-VD-OPH-induced necroptosis following cerebral I/R injury. Therefore, NLRP3 inflammasome could be a potential therapeutic target for cerebral ischemia.