Nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 ( Nrf2 ) is an important nuclear transcription factor which protects cells a-gainst oxidative stress injury. Upon exposure to reactive oxygen species ( ROS) or electrophilic stress, Nrf2 can translocate into the nucleus, and then bind to the antioxidant response element ( ARE) , regulating the expression of several antioxidant enzymes and phase Ⅱ detoxifying enzymes which aimed at the detoxifica-tion and elimination of harmful exogenous chemicals, resulting in the facilitation of hepatoprotection. Oxidative stress is the com-mon pathogenesis of many liver diseases, while the Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway is extremely important in the prevention and progression of many liver diseases. Nrf2 has more recently been implicated as a new therapeutic target in treating liver diseases. Here, we focus on the most common liver diseases and the devel-opment of these conditions where activation of Nrf2 may alleviate disease progression, so as to provide reference for related re-search in the future.

BACKGROUND:Liquiritin has the protective and nutritive effects on neural stem cells. However, the effect of liquiritin on neural stem cells from the brain of mouse embryos remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of different concentrations of liquiritin on the proliferation of neural stem cells from the brain of mouse embryos. METHODS:Neural stem cells were separated from the embryonic brain of Kunming white mice at the gestational age of 14 days. The identification of embryonic neural stem cells was performed by immunocytochemistry method. The expression of neural stem cells-special genes was determined by qRT-PCR. The cell growth curve was drawn and proliferation of embryonic neural stem cells treated with 0, 1, 2, 4 or 8 g/L liquiritin for 48 hours was measured by MTT assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) When cultured at day 5, al individual neural stem cells gathered together into neurospheres; with the extension of time, the neurospheres were enlarged, and gathered together into larger cell masses. (2) Results from immunocytochemistry showed that all the floating neurospheres was nestin-positive. Data from qRT-PCR revealed a higher expression of nestin mRNA, but there was no expression of neuron-specific enolase and glial fibrillary acidic protein in the neural stem cells. (4) The growth of neural stem cells was slow at the beginning. After 2-3 days, the cell proliferation quickly entered the exponential phase. After 4 days, the cell proliferation gradually slowed down, and the overall cell growth entered into the platform period. (5) The cell proliferation after treatment with 2, 4 or 8 g/L liquiritin was faster than that in the control group (0 g/L). To conclude, 2-8 g/L liquiritin could increase the proliferation of neural stem cells from the brain of mouse embryos.

BACKGROUND: Salvianolic acid B can ease nerve injury and promote neurogenesis, but its effects on proliferation,apoptosis and differentiation of neural stem cells in the hippocampus remain unclear.OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of salvianolic acid B on proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation of rat hippocampal neural stem cells following oxygen-glucose deprivation.METHODS: Hippocampal neural stem cells were isolated from newborn Sprague-Dawley rats, and divided into six groups, five of which were cultured in an incubator containing anaerobic mixtures (1% O2, 5% CO2 and 94% N2) for 150minutes followed by treatment with different concentrations of salvianolic acid B (0, 5, 10, 20, 40 mg/L), respectively.After 4 days of intervention, MTT was used to detect cell proliferation. After 48 hours of intervention, flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis in the hippocampus. After 5 days of culture, flow cytometry was performed to evaluate the percentage of cells positive for neuron-specific enolase and glial fibrillary acidic protein. Normally cultured cells acted as controls (normoxic group).RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the normoxic group, the proliferation of neural stem cells was decreased significantly (P < 0.01) and the rate of apoptosis was increased in the oxygen-glucose deprivation group (P <0.01). After treatment with different concentrations of salvianolic acid B, the cell viability and the ratio of neurons in total cells were increased, and the ratio of astrocytes was decreased, especially in 20 and 40 mg/L groups (P < 0.01). In conclusion, these results suggest that salvianolic acid B alleviates adverse effects of oxygen-glucose deprivation on neural stem cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis.