Isotetrandrine ameliorates tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced oxidative stress through upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 expression.

1R, 1'S-isotetrandrine, a naturally occurring plant alkaloid found in Mahonia of Berberidaceae, possesses anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties, but the antioxidative activity and mechanism action remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrated the antioxidative effect and mechanism of 1R, 1'S-isotetrandrine against tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells. We found that 1R, 1'S-isotetrandrine suppressed cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species generation, and glutathione depletion. Additionally, our study confirmed that 1R, 1'S-isotetrandrine significantly increased the antioxidant enzyme heme oxygenase-1 expression and nuclear translocation of factor-erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Specifically, the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 induced by 1R, 1'S-isotetrandrine was associated with Nrf2 negative regulatory protein Keap1 inactivation and phosphorylation of both extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase. Preincubation with thiol-reducing agents reduced 1R, 1'S-isotetrandrine-induced heme oxygenase-1 expression, and treatment with either extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase or c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase inhibitors attenuated the levels of 1R, 1'S-isotetrandrine-induced Nrf2 activation and heme oxygenase-1 expression. Furthermore, the cytoprotective effect of 1R, 1'S-isotetrandrine was abolished by heme oxygenase-1, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase, and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase inhibitors. These results indicated that the 1R, 1'S-isotetrandrine ameliorated tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced oxidative damage through upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 expression by the dissociation of Nrf2 from Nrf2-Keap1 complex via extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase activation and Keap1 inactivation.