Ethyl 2,4-dicarboethoxy pantothenate, a derivative of pantothenic acid, prevents cellular damage initiated by environmental pollutants through Nrf2 activation

Recently, there has been increasing concern about the influence of environmental pollutants, such as particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), diesel fuel exhaust, cigarette smoke, ozone (O3), heavy metals and halogenated hydrocarbons, on public health. Therefore, the influence of environmental pollution on public health has been actively studied focusing on the lungs and the cardiovascular system because of the risk of inhalation. The effects of environmental pollution on cellular physiology have been clarified as follows: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are the main components of pollutants, induce inflammation by activating the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) signaling pathway [1–3].