Bulletin of Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery
ISSN 1829-006X
2025; 170–177
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NRF2 PATHWAY INVOLVEMENT IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

Rania Abd Elmonem Ali*, Amal Ghait, Safaa Ali, Eman Radwan

Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt · Histology and Cell Biology Department, Sphinx University, Assuit, Egypt Histology and Cell Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assuit University, Assiut, Egypt · Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Merit University, New Sohag City, Sohag, EgyptHistology and Cell Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assuit University, Assiut, Egypt · Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt Department of Biochemistry, Sphinx University, New Assiut, Egypt

Received: 2026-04-08 · Published: 2025-08-02

© 2025 The Author(s) and the original publisher.

CC BY-NC 4.0 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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Original title
NRF2 PATHWAY INVOLVEMENT IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
Authors
Rania Abd Elmonem Ali, Amal Ghait, Safaa Ali, Eman Radwan
Source journal
Bulletin of Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery
Published
2025-08-02
Licence
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Original
https://doi.org/10.58240/1829006X-2025.21.6-170

Abstract

The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway plays a fundamental role in cellular defense against oxidative and electrophilic stress. Within the central nervous system (CNS), where neurons and glial cells are highly susceptible to oxidative damage, Nrf2 has emerged as a master regulator of antioxidant and detoxification responses. Activation of Nrf2 upregulates a wide array of genes involved in maintaining redox balance, including heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), and enzymes responsible for glutathione synthesis. These adaptive responses help protect neurons from oxidative injury and support overall brain homeostasis. Dysregulation of Nrf2 signaling is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis, as well as in acute neurological injuries like ischemic stroke and traumatic brain injury. Pharmacological strategies to activate Nrf2, including synthetic compounds such as dimethyl fumarate and natural agents like sulforaphane, have shown promising neuroprotective effects in both experimental and clinical settings. This review provides a comprehensive discussion on the structure and regulation of the Nrf2 pathway, its physiological role in the CNS, its involvement in neurological diseases, and therapeutic approaches targeting Nrf2 signaling.
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