The Injury and Therapy of Reactive Oxygen Species in Intracerebral Hemorrhage Looking at Mitochondria

Figure 3

Oxidative stress can activate pathways involving Keap1 and Nrf2. Keap1 is a detector of ROS and a negative regulator of Nrf2. Under physiological conditions, Nrf2 is in a dormant state. When the brain is exposed to oxidative stress caused by ICH, Nrf2 will dissociate from Keap1, translocate to the nucleus, and activate antioxidant response element- (ARE-) dependent gene expression to neutralize ROS. Activation of PPARγ can lead to upregulation of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Nrf2: nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor; Keap1: Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1; ICH: intracerebral hemorrhage; ROS: reactive oxygen species; PPARγ: peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma.