Partial contribution of the Keap1–Nrf2 system to cadmium-mediated metallothionein expression in vascular endothelial cells

•Role of the Keap1–Nrf2 system in cellular response to cadmium was examined.•We used bovine aortic endothelial cells as a model of the vascular endothelium.•Exposure of cells to cadmium resulted in modification of Keap1 and Nrf2 activation.•Keap1–Nrf2 system participated in the modulation of metallothionein-1/2 expression.•Nrf2 was recruited to the antioxidant response element of MT2 promoter region.

Cadmium is an environmental electrophile that modifies protein reactive thiols such as Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), a negative regulator of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). In the present study, we investigated a role of the Keap1–Nrf2 system in cellular response to cadmium in vascular endothelial cells. Exposure of bovine aortic endothelial cells to cadmium resulted in modification of Keap1 and Nrf2 activation, thereby up-regulating not only its typical downstream proteins but also metallothionein-1/2. Experiments with siRNA-mediated knockdown of Nrf2 or Keap1 supported participation of the Keap1–Nrf2 system in the modulation of metallothionein-1/2 expression. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay showed that Nrf2 was recruited to the antioxidant response element of the promoter region of the bovine metallothionein-2 gene in the presence of cadmium. These results suggest that the transcription factor Nrf2 plays, at least in part, a role in the changes in metallothionein expression mediated by exposure to cadmium.