Nrf2 +/+ mice (C57B6/SJL) were crossed with nrf2 -/- mice (C57B6/129SVJ) to generate mice heterozygous for nrf2. Interbreeding these heterozygotes generated the double-knockout mice (nrf2 -/-) as well as the corresponding littermate controls (nrf2 +/+). Mice were housed in plastic cages on a bedding of wood chips and maintained at ~22C, ~60% relative humidity, and a 12 hr light/dark cycle. The animals were fed with mouse diet 5015, which includes 30 IU/g of vitamin A and 35 IU/kg of vitamin E, (LabDiet, Richmond, IN) and drinking water ad libitum. All animal protocols were approved by the Institutional Animal Use and Care Committee at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Total RNA was extracted from livers and spleens isolated from male and female nrf2 wildtype and knockout mice at 5 months of age (prior to the development of severe autoimmune disease). Keywords = Nrf2 Keywords = liver
