Fig. 5

Sulforaphane (SL) and NO activate Nrf2 and induce increases in astroglial PPP. Sulforaphane (SL), a well-known activator of Nrf2, increased HO-1 expression and SNAP, an NO donor, also induced HO-1 expression in the presence of U0126 (a HO-1). mRNA expression of HO-1 in microglia-free astroglia was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. HO-1 fold change was calculated relative to each control (means ± SD, n = 4). ***P < 0.001 versus each control (grouped t test). SNAP induced increases in PPP flux in microglia-depleted astroglia and this NO-induced increases in PPP flux was not eliminated by 12-h pretreatment by U0126 (10 μmol/L), indicating a direct action of NO (b PPP). However, LPS-induced increases in PPP flux in untreated astroglia were eliminated by 12-h pretreatment by U0126 (10 μmol/L) (c PPP). Values are the means ± SD of four flasks. n.s., not significant, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 versus control (grouped t test)