BRAIN SCIENCES, cilt.13, sa.11, ss.1532, 2023 (SCI-Expanded)
An autoimmune disease is the consequence of the immune system aacking healthy cells,
tissues, and organs by mistake instead of protecting them. Inflammation and oxidative stress (OS)
are well-recognized processes occurring in association with acute or chronic impairment of cell homeostasis.
The transcription factor Nrf2 (nuclear factor [erythroid-derived 2]-like 2) is of major importance
as the defense instrument against OS and alters anti-inflammatory activities related to different
pathological states. Researchers have described Nrf2 as a significant regulator of innate immunity.
Growing indications suggest that the Nrf2 signaling pathway is deregulated in numerous
diseases, including autoimmune disorders. The advantageous outcome of the pharmacological activation
of Nrf2 is an essential part of Nrf2-based chemoprevention and intervention in other
chronic illnesses, such as neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases, and
chronic kidney and liver disease. Nevertheless, a growing number of investigations have indicated
that Nrf2 is already elevated in specific cancer and disease steps, suggesting that the pharmacological
agents developed to mitigate the potentially destructive or transformative results associated
with the protracted activation of Nrf2 should also be evaluated. The activators of Nrf2 have revealed
an improvement in the progress of OS-associated diseases, resulting in immunoregulatory and antiinflammatory
activities; by contrast, the depletion of Nrf2 worsens disease progression. These data
strengthen the growing aention to the biological properties of Nrf2 and its possible healing power
on diseases. The evidence supporting a correlation between Nrf2 signaling and the most common
autoimmune diseases is reviewed here. We focus on the aspects related to the possible effect of Nrf2
activation in ameliorating pathologic conditions based on the role of this regulator of antioxidant
genes in the control of inflammation and OS, which are processes related to the progression of autoimmune
diseases. Finally, the possibility of Nrf2 activation as a new drug development strategy
to target pathogenesis is proposed.