SOD1 and DJ-1 Converge at Nrf2 Pathway: A Clue for Antioxidant Therapeutic Potential in Neurodegeneration

Neurodegenerative diseases share diverse pathological features and among these oxidative stress (OS) plays a leading role. Impaired activity and reduced expression of antioxidant proteins have been reported as common events in several aging-associated disorders. In this review paper, we first provid...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pamela Milani, Giulia Ambrosi, Omar Gammoh, Fabio Blandini, Cristina Cereda
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2013-01-01
Series:Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/836760
Description
Summary:Neurodegenerative diseases share diverse pathological features and among these oxidative stress (OS) plays a leading role. Impaired activity and reduced expression of antioxidant proteins have been reported as common events in several aging-associated disorders. In this review paper, we first provide an overview of the involvement of reactive oxygen species- (ROS-) induced oxidative damage in Parkinson's disease (PD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Subsequently, we focus on DJ-1 and SOD1 proteins, which are involved in PD and ALS and also exert a prominent role in the interaction between redox homeostasis and neurodegeneration. Interestingly, recent studies demonstrated that DJ-1 and SOD1 are both tightly connected with Nrf2 protein, a transcriptional factor and master regulator of the expression of many antioxidant/detoxification genes. Nrf2 is emerging as a key neuroprotective protein in neurodegenerative diseases, since it helps neuronal cells to cope with toxic insults and OS. We herein summarize the recent literature providing a detailed picture of the promising therapeutic efficacy of Nrf2 natural and synthetic inducers as disease-modifying molecules for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
ISSN:1942-0900
1942-0994