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Disruption of Nrf2/ARE signaling impairs antioxidant mechanisms and promotes cell degradation pathways in aged skeletal muscle

  • Corey J. Miller
  • , Sellamuthu S. Gounder
  • , Sankaranarayanan Kannan
  • , Karan Goutam
  • , Vasanthi R. Muthusamy
  • , Matthew A. Firpo
  • , J. David Symons
  • , Robert Paine
  • , John R. Hoidal
  • , Namakkal Soorappan Rajasekaran

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Age-associated decline in antioxidant potential and accumulation of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species are primary causes for multiple health problems, including muscular dystrophy and sarcopenia. The role of the nuclear erythroid-2-p45-related factor-2 (Nrf2) signaling has been implicated in antioxidant gene regulation. Here, we investigated the loss-of-function mechanisms for age-dependent regulation of Nrf2/ARE (Antioxidant Response Element) signaling in skeletal muscle (SM). Under basal physiological conditions, disruption of Nrf2 showed minimal effects on antioxidant defenses in young (2. months) Nrf2-/- mice. Interestingly, mRNA and protein levels of NADH Quinone Oxidase-1 were dramatically (* P< 0.001) decreased in Nrf2-/- SM when compared to WT at 2. months of age, suggesting central regulation of NQO1 occurs through Nrf2. Subsequent analysis of the Nrf2-dependent transcription and translation showed that the aged mice (> 24. months) had a significant increase in ROS along with a decrease in glutathione (GSH) levels and impaired antioxidants in Nrf2-/- when compared to WT SM. Further, disruption of Nrf2 appears to induce oxidative stress (increased ROS, HNE-positive proteins), ubiquitination and pro-apoptotic signals in the aged SM of Nrf2-/- mice. These results indicate a direct role for Nrf2/ARE signaling on impairment of antioxidants, which contribute to muscle degradation pathways upon aging. Our findings conclude that though the loss of Nrf2 is not amenable at younger age; it could severely affect the SM defenses upon aging. Thus, Nrf2 signaling might be a potential therapeutic target to protect the SM from age-dependent accumulation of ROS by rescuing redox homeostasis to prevent age-related muscle disorders such as sarcopenia and myopathy.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1038-1050
Number of pages13
JournalBiochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Basis of Disease
Volume1822
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2012

Keywords

  • ARE-signaling
  • Aging
  • EPR
  • Nrf2
  • ROS
  • Ubiquitination

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Medicine
  • Molecular Biology

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