Nrf2, HSP90 and CFS - More Evidence of Increased Risk w Certain Ancestries~!

Backgound: In recent weeks we have discussed many health problems that may occur with impaired Nrf2 functioning. Past studies have also suggested that SNPs in Nrf2 which may be population specific and may increase oxidative stress in those individuals. One such SNP has been shown to be present in the Native American population and another study has suggested that while the data is limited there seems to be a significantly higher risk of chronic fatigue syndrome in Native Americans and African-Americans. It has also be suggested that HSP90 activity may be used as a marker for CFS in a past study.

Niture from the University of Maryland demonstrates that HSP90 is involved in the activity of the Nrf2. He writes that Keap1 is an adaptor for Nrf2 and that HSP90 is a stabilizer for Keap1 under stress. He reports that HSP90 interacts with this adaptor to activate Nrf2. This suggests that Nrf2 activity may be closely associated with the development of CFS and leads one to assume that mechanisms that improve the activity of Nrf2 may be beneficial for therapeutics for CFS which may have a higher incidence rate for individuals with specific ancestries.  

Read more: HSP90


Thambirajah, A. A., Sleigh, K., Stiver, H. G., and Chow, A. W. (2008). Differential heat shock protein responses to strenuous standardized exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome patients and matched healthy controls. Clinical and investigative medicine. Médecine clinique et experimentale, 31(6). http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/3725342
Niture, S. K. and Jaiswal, A. K. (2010). Hsp90 interaction with inrf2 (keap1) mediates stress-induced nrf2 activation. The Journal of biological chemistry. http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/7968348
Dinos, S., Khoshaba, B., Ashby, D., White, P. D. D., Nazroo, J., Wessely, S., and Bhui, K. S. S. (2009). A systematic review of chronic fatigue, its syndromes and ethnicity: prevalence, severity, co-morbidity and coping. International journal of epidemiology. http://www.citeulike.org/group/6033/article/4289419