Figure 1.

Nrf2-driven genes in the brain and brain microvessels are induced by systemic sulforaphane administration. A, Left, Sulforaphane increases the mRNA level of Nrf2-driven genes in the parietal cortex from both uninjured and injured animals. Sulforaphane (5 mg/kg) was administered 6 h after injury and tissue harvested for mRNA analysis at 24 h. A, Right, Sulforaphane (SUL) increases mRNA levels of Nrf2-driven genes in purified brain microvessels from uninjured animals. B, Representative confocal images showing enhanced HO-1 immunoreactivity (green) in brain microvessels (indicated by vWF immunoreactivity; red) 18 h after 5 mg/kg sulforaphane treatment. C, Sulforaphane at 5 mg/kg, but not 1 mg/kg, increases GSTα3 mRNA level in cortical tissue. D, A dose-dependent increase in NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase 1 enzymatic activity is observed 18 h after sulforaphane treatment. E, EMSA and shift-Western assays showing the specificity and binding of Nrf2 to the decoy (ARE), but not the mutant (AREmut), oligonucleotide. NE, Nuclear extract. F, Summary data showing that intracerebroventricular infusion of the decoy oligonucleotide (ARE), but not the mutated oligonucleotide (AREmut), blocked the induction of GSTα3 mRNA 18 h after administration of 5 mg/kg sulforaphane in uninjured animals. Data are presented as the mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05. Scale bars, 50 μm.