Potential Nanostructures Revealing the Cross-Talk between Nrf2 Signaling Pathway and Neuroinflammation

Abstract

Alzheimers disease (AD) and Parkinsons disease (PD), the two main causes of dementia, are neurodegenerative diseases in which neuroinflammation is a key factor. α-Synuclein (α-Syn), tau protein, and amyloid-β (Aβ) are among the misfolded proteins that accumulate in these illnesses, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. In this regard, NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its negative regulator, the E3 ligase adaptor Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), plays a crucial role in maintaining redox status, expression of antioxidant genes, and inflammatory response. All of the treatments that have been tried so far to stop protein aggregation have failed in clinical trials. As a result, dementia diagnosis and treatment remain difficult problems. Interestingly, tuning the Nrf2 system can affect the immunometabolic mechanisms and their potential medical applications. Now, it has been the subject of an increasing number of clinical investigations for inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers and as a novel therapeutic target. However, targeting neuroinflammation by Nrf2 activators also has some limitations like limited pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Nanotechnology has gained significant interest in various applications, including sensors and therapeutic agents for targeted diseased sites. However, most nanostructures frequently become caught inside innate immune cells rather than reaching the intended target. This review will address these gaps by exploring the role of the Nrf2 pathway in neurodegenerative diseases and examine how custom-designed nanoscale materials can interact with biological systems and how this interaction can impact the nanostructures recognition by cells. Additionally, we will investigate the possible effects of dynamic alterations in the nanomaterials inside biological systems, with a focus on inflammation.