Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 21, 2025

Reverse Yeast Two-hybrid System to Identify Mammalian Nuclear Receptor Residues that Interact with Ligands and/or Antagonists
10:51

Reverse Yeast Two-hybrid System to Identify Mammalian Nuclear Receptor Residues that Interact with Ligands and/or Antagonists

Published on: November 15, 2013

12.9K

Jekyll and Hyde: nuclear receptors ignite and extinguish hepatic oxidative milieu

Anushna Sen1, Sayeepriyadarshini Anakk1

  • 1Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.

Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism: TEM
|September 5, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Nuclear receptors (NRs) regulate gene networks and physiological responses. Their interaction with Nrf2 influences oxidative stress, offering potential therapeutic targets for liver diseases.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Hepatology

Background:

  • Oxidative stress is a key factor in liver disease development.
  • Nuclear receptors (NRs) are crucial transcription factors involved in various physiological processes.
  • Nrf2 is a master regulator of cellular antioxidant defenses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the intricate crosstalk between nuclear receptors and the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway.
  • To discuss how NRs modulate oxidative stress in the context of diet, pollutants, and drug-induced liver injury.
  • To investigate the potential repurposing of FDA-approved NR-targeting drugs for managing reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research on NRs, Nrf2, and oxidative stress.
  • Analysis of how dietary components, environmental pollutants, and xenobiotics affect NR activity and oxidative balance.
  • Discussion of the dual role of NRs in either exacerbating or mitigating liver toxicity.

Main Results:

  • NRs significantly influence the cellular oxidative milieu through modulation of reductive processes.
  • NR activity and expression are regulated by diet and xenobiotics, indicating a feedback loop.
  • NRs exhibit context-dependent effects on liver toxicity and oxidative damage.

Conclusions:

  • The interplay between NRs and Nrf2 presents a promising avenue for therapeutic intervention in liver diseases.
  • Understanding NR modulation of oxidative stress can guide the repurposing of existing drugs to combat ROS.
  • Targeting NRs offers a potential strategy to ameliorate liver injury caused by various environmental and chemical insults.

More Related Videos

Measurement of Fatty Acid β-Oxidation in a Suspension of Freshly Isolated Mouse Hepatocytes11:03

Measurement of Fatty Acid β-Oxidation in a Suspension of Freshly Isolated Mouse Hepatocytes

Published on: September 9, 2021

4.1K
Determination of Fatty Acid Oxidation and Lipogenesis in Mouse Primary Hepatocytes12:11

Determination of Fatty Acid Oxidation and Lipogenesis in Mouse Primary Hepatocytes

Published on: August 27, 2015

20.5K

Related Concept Videos

Transducer Mechanism: Nuclear Receptors01:31

Transducer Mechanism: Nuclear Receptors

Nuclear receptors, or NRs, are unique transcription factors that regulate gene transcription and affect the cellular pathways involved in reproduction, development, or metabolism. Their ability to be stimulated by small lipophilic ligands and control vital cellular processes makes them ideal drug targets. Nearly 10-15% of currently prescribed drugs target these receptors.
About 48 different soluble family members of nuclear receptors are identified that can be divided into two main classes:
1.9K
Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting01:45

Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting

Nuclear protein sorting regulates nucleus composition and gene expression, crucial for determining the fate of a eukaryotic cell. Hence, the entry and exit of molecules across the nuclear envelope is a tightly controlled process. Nuclear protein sorting can be inhibited by one of the following ways: 1) masking cargo signal sequences, 2) modifying the nuclear receptor's affinity for cargo, 3) controlling the nuclear pore size, 4) retaining the cargo during its transit to the cytosol or the...
2.7K
Drug Metabolism: Phase I Reactions01:17

Drug Metabolism: Phase I Reactions

A phase I reaction is a biochemical process that introduces a functionally reactive polar group to a substance. This transformation predominantly occurs in the liver, facilitated by the cytochrome P450 system of hemoproteins situated in the lipophilic endoplasmic reticulum of cells. The metabolite generated through this process can have varying polarities. If it is sufficiently polar, it can be easily excreted in the urine due to its water compatibility. However, if the metabolite is nonpolar,...
4.0K
Peroxisomes01:24

Peroxisomes

Peroxisomes are specialized organelles present in fungi, plant, and animal cells. It can vary in number, size, morphology, and activity depending on the type of tissue and the nutritional state of the cell. For example, cells with active lipid metabolism, such as adipocytes, neurons, and hepatocytes, have more peroxisomes than other cells in the body. Besides their primary role in breaking down complex organic molecules, peroxisomes can also synthesize specific macromolecules and participate in...
16.5K
Phase I Oxidative Reactions: Overview01:19

Phase I Oxidative Reactions: Overview

Phase I biotransformation, or functionalization, is a crucial chemical process that converts drugs and other xenobiotics into more water-soluble forms, facilitating expulsion from the body. It involves oxidative, reductive, and hydrolytic reactions that add or unveil polar functional groups on lipophilic substrates. Key players in phase I reactions are the mixed-function oxidases. Situated in liver cell microsomes, these enzymes predominantly carry out drug metabolism. They require molecular...
446
Phase I Reactions: Oxidation of Aliphatic and Aromatic Carbon-Containing Systems01:19

Phase I Reactions: Oxidation of Aliphatic and Aromatic Carbon-Containing Systems

Phase I biotransformation reactions are integral to drug metabolism, predominantly involving oxidative, reductive, and hydrolytic transformations. Chief among these are oxidative reactions, which enhance the hydrophilicity of xenobiotics and introduce polar functional groups to facilitate their elimination from the body.
Oxidation reactions are fundamental in aromatic carbon-containing systems. An example is the hydroxylation of phenobarbital, a process that transforms it into...
397