Prevention of Diabetic Complications by Activation of Nrf2: Diabetic Cardiomyopathy and Nephropathy

Diabetic cardiomyopathy and nephropathy are two major causes of death of patients with diabetes. Extra generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), induced by hyperglycemia, is considered as the main reason for the development of these diabetic complications. Transcription factor, NFE2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), is a master regulator of cellular detoxification response and redox status, and also provides a protective action from various oxidative stresses and damages. Recently we have demonstrated its important role in determining the susceptibility of cells or tissues to diabetes-induced oxidative stress and/or damage. Therefore, this review will specifically summarize the information available regarding the effect of Nrf2 on the diabetic complications with a focus on diabetic cardiomyopathy and nephropathy. Given the feature that Nrf2 is easily induced by several compounds, we also discussed the role of different Nrf2 activators in the prevention or therapy of various diabetic complications. These findings suggest that Nrf2 has a potential application in the clinic setting for diabetic patients in the short future.