Wheat bran feruloyl oligosaccharides modulate the phase II detoxifying/antioxidant enzymes via Nrf2 signaling.

The antioxidant activities of wheat bran feruloyl oligosaccharides (FOs) were determined in rats by determining the activities and mRNA expression levels of phase II detoxifying/antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in rat organs. FOs was given by gavage at doses of 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 mmol/kg body weight every day for 15 days. Compared with the control group, the activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px in FOs treatment groups significantly (P<0.05) increased in heart, liver, and kidney. All the FOs treatment also significantly (P<0.05) increased the glutathione (GSH) contents in heart (28-58%), liver (32-71%), and kidney (31-73%) compared with the control. FOs up regulated the mRNA expression levels of SOD, CAT, and HO-1 in organs. Moreover, the immunoblot analysis revealed increased nuclear factor-E2-related factor (Nrf2) protein expression levels in organs and there were positive correlations between the mRNA expression of phase II detoxifying/antioxidant enzymes and the expressions of Nrf2 protein, which demonstrated FOs treatment could modulate the detoxifying/antioxidant enzymes via Nrf2 signaling.