The Role of Nrf2 in Cardiovascular Diseases and Its Mechanism

As an important transcriptional factor, Nrf2 (nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2) has attracted a lot of interest since its discovery in 1994, owing to its anti-oxidation and detoxification functions. Nrf2 transcriptionally activates the downstream target gene expression primarily by binding to ARE (antioxidant response element) in the promoter region of its target genes. The mortality of cardiovascular diseases accounts for 31% of global deaths, seriously threatening human health. Due to the significant role in anti-oxidative stress, Nrf2 is related to the occurrence and development of cardiovascular disease, with great therapeutic potential. This review mainly introduces the structure characteristics, upstream regulatory signals and downstream functions of Nrf2, also states the research progress of its pathological roles in cardiovascular diseases in recent years.