Activation of the Nrf2/antioxidant response pathway increases IL-8 expression

Oxidant stress can initiate or enhance inflammatory responses during tissue injury, possibly through activation of redox-sensitive chemokines. Because the transcription factor Nrf2 (NF-E2-related factor 2) is responsive to oxidative stress, and induces expression of cytoprotective and antioxidant genes that attenuate tissue injury, we postulated that Nrf2 may also regulate chemokine expression. To test this hypothesis, Nrf2 expression was directly increased in primary human kidney mesangial cells and aortic endothelial cells, or cell lines with an adenoviral construct, and the effects on the pro-inflammatory chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8) were assessed. Nrf2 expression significantly increased IL-8 mRNA levels and protein secretion. Nrf2 caused only a weak induction of IL-8 transcription, but significantly increased the half-life of IL-8 mRNA. These data demonstrate that activation of the Nrf2/antioxidant response pathway induces expression of IL-8. The dominant mechanism of Nrf2-mediated IL-8 induction is through mRNA stabilization. Considering the evidence that Nrf2 activation is mainly cytoprotective, these observations raise the possibility that under certain circumstances IL-8 may serve an anti-inflammatory role and thereby contribute to the resolution of tissue injury.