Acrolein causes transcriptional induction of phase II genes by activation of Nrf2 in human lung type II epithelial (A549) cells.

Acrolein, an alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehyde, is by far the strongest electrophile present in cigarette smoke which is involved in several lung pathophysiological conditions. Acrolein depletes glutathione and creates thiol imbalance. Acrolein due to thiol imbalance as well as covalent modification of cysteine is known to inhibit the activity of redox sensitive transcription factors such as NF-kappaB and AP-1.