The nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays a critical role in protecting various tissues against inflammation, which is a potential risk factor for colorectal and other cancers. Our previously published mouse model work showed that Nrf2 helps protect against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis/inflammation, and others have shown that Nrf2 helps protect against inflammation-associated colorectal carcinogenesis (aberrant crypt foci). The present study extended these important earlier findings by exploring the role of Nrf2 in colitis-associated colorectal cancer in a mouse model involving azoxymethane/ DSS-induced colorectal carcinogenesis in Nrf2 knockout mice. Azoxymethane/DSS-treated Nrf2 knockout mice had increased incidence, multiplicity, and size of all colorectal tumors, including adenomas, versus treated wild-type (WT) mice, and the proportion of tumors that were adenocarcinoma was much higher in knockout (80%) versus WT (29%) mice. Compared with WT mice, knockout mice also had increased markers of inflammation in tumor tissue (cyclooxygenase-2 and 5-lipoxygenase expressions and prostaglandin E 2 and leukotriene B 4 levels) and in inflamed colonic mucosa (nitrotyrosine expression), supporting the association of knockout mouse tumor formation with inflammation. The phase II detoxifying/ antioxidant enzymes NAD(P)H-quinone reductase 1 and UDP-glucurosyltransferase 1A1 were elevated in the normal mucosa of WT, but not Nrf 2 knockout, mice treated with azoxymethane/DSS. Our findings show that Nrf2 plays a critical role in protecting against inflammation-associated colorectal cancer.

A simple and scalable exfoliation approach is developed to produce high‐quality single‐layer graphene sheets without the use of toxic reduction agents of expensive solvents. Graphite powders are exfoliated in a water solution of pyrene derivatives, which act as dispersion agents, healing agents, and electric “glue” during the thermal annealing process.

This report demonstrates for the first time that the size selectivity of nanoparticles in the thermal processing solution of pre-synthesized nanoparticles can be achieved by molecularly tuning the chain length and concentration of alkanethiols.

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