Cited by 76Retinal Development and DisordersRetinal Diseases and TreatmentsGenomics, phytochemicals, and oxidative stress

17β-estradiol up-regulates Nrf2 Via Pi3k/Akt and estrogen receptor signaling pathways to suppress light-induced degeneration in rat retina

Zhu, C., Wang, S., Wang, B., Du, F., Hu, C., Li, H., Feng, Y., Zhu, R. +4 more·2015·Neuroscience

Abstract

Human age-related retinal diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are intimately associated with decreased tissue oxygenation and hypoxia. Different antioxidants have been investigated to reverse AMD. In the present study, we describe the antioxidant 17β-estradiol (βE2) and investigate its protective effects on retinal neurons. Fourteen days after ovariectomy, adult Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 8000-lux light for 12h to induce retinal degeneration. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were assessed by confocal fluorescence microscopy using 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and antioxidant enzyme mRNA expression were detected by real-time PCR. Western blotting was used to evaluate NRF2 activation. NRF2 translocation was determined by immunohistochemistry, with morphological changes monitored by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Following light exposure, βE2 significantly reduced ROS production. βE2 also up-regulated NRF2 mRNA and protein levels, with maximal expression at 4 and 12h post-exposure, respectively. Interestingly, following βE2 administration, NRF2 was translocated from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, primarily in the outer nuclear layer. βE2 also up-regulated NRF2, which triggered phase-2 antioxidant enzyme expression (superoxide dismutases 1 and 2, catalase, glutaredoxins 1 and 2, and thioredoxins 1 and 2), reduced ROS production, and ameliorated retinal damage. However, the beneficial effects of βE2 were markedly suppressed by pretreatment with LY294002 or ICI182780, specific inhibitors of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt (PI3K/AKT), and estrogen receptor (ER) signaling pathways, respectively. Taken together, these observations suggest that βE2 exerts antioxidative effects following light-induced retinal degeneration potentially via NRF2 activation. This protective mechanism may depend on two pathways: a rapid, non-genomic-type PI3K/AKT response, and a genomic-type ER-dependent response. Our data provide evidence that βE2 is a potentially effective in the treatment of retinal degeneration diseases.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.07.057

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  • 17β-estradiol regulates multiple other aspects of mitochondrial function through ERs, including ROS generation, antioxidant defense, and Ca2+ handling.

    “Moreover, 17β-estradiol also appears to regulate multiple other aspects of mitochondrial function through ERs, including ROS generation, antioxidant defense, and Ca2+ handling (126–131).”

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Authors
Zhu, C., Wang, S., Wang, B., Du, F., Hu, C., Li, H., Feng, Y., Zhu, R., Mo, M., Cao, Y., Li, A., & Yu, X.
Affiliations
  • Stomatology Hospital (CN)
  • Xi'an Jiaotong University (CN)
Venue
Neuroscience
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-09
Volume
304
Pages
328-339
ISSN
0306-4522 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W992348246
Cited by
76
References
47
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 1
FWCI
4.05
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (81271013)
  • National Research Foundation for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (20120201110051)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Retinal Development and Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Ophthalmology › Retinal Diseases and Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics, phytochemicals, and oxidative stress
Keywords
estradiol, Nrf2, PI3K/Akt signaling, estrogen receptor signaling, light-induced retinal degeneration, age-related macular degeneration, reactive oxygen species, oxidative stress, antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutaredoxin, thioredoxin, ovariectomy, retinal neurons, non-genomic estrogen signaling
MeSH terms
Animals, Disease Models, Animal, Estradiol, Estrogens, Female, Light, Ovariectomy, Random Allocation, Receptors, Estrogen, Retina, Retinal Degeneration, RNA, Messenger, Signal Transduction, Up-Regulation, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Reactive Oxygen Species, Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt, NF-E2-Related Factor 2

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