Association between Nfr2, HO-1, NF-kB Expression, Plasma ADMA, and Oxidative Stress in Metabolic Syndrome

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 24; no. 23; p. 17067
• Main Authors: Bekyarova, Ganka Y, Vankova, Deyana G, Madjova, Valentina H, Bekyarov, Nicolai A, Salim, Ayshe S, Ivanova, Diana G, Stoeva, Stefka M, Gerova, Daniela I, Kiselova-Kaneva, Yoana D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01-12-2023
• Subjects: Antioxidants; B cells; Bioavailability; Carbon monoxide; Diabetes; Endothelium; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Enzymes; Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; Genes; Heme; HO-1; Hypertension; Leukocytes; Lipid peroxidation; Metabolic syndrome; NF-kB; Nitric oxide; Nrf2; Oxidative stress; Pathogenesis; PBMC; Plasma; plasma ADMA; RNA; Transcription factors; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Type 2 diabetes; Nrf2; NF-kB; plasma ADMA; HO-1; PBMC; endothelial dysfunction; oxidative stress
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms242317067

Endothelial dysfunction is one of the major factors in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and its molecular mechanisms are not completely understood. The present study aimed to examine the connection between nuclear factor2-related factor2 (Nrf2), nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in people with MetS. Participants in the study were as follows: with MetS (
= 30) and without MetS (Control) (
= 14). Expression of Nrf2, NF-kB, and HO-1 was measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Plasma ADMA was determined using the ELISA technique and MDA via the thiobarbituric acid method. Our study showed that mRNA of NF-kB, Nrf2, and HO-1 levels in PBMCs in the MetS group were significantly higher than in the controls by 53%, 130%, and 185% (
< 0.05), respectively. Similarly, elevated levels of MDA (by 78%,
< 0.001) and ADMA (by 18.7%,
< 0.001) were established in the MetS group. Our findings show the importance of transcription factor Nrf2, playing an integral role in the protection of the endothelium, and of NF-κB, a transcription factor mediating the inflammatory response in MetS. Knowledge of complex cellular-molecular mechanisms would allow the use of biomarkers such as Nrf2, NF-kB, HO-1, and ADMA for the assessment of endothelial dysfunction in clinical practice.