Targeting Nrf2-ARE pathway may be a potential therapeutic approach as its activation was found neuroprotective in retinal ischemic injury,45, 46 intracerebral hemorrhage,33 and middle cerebral artery occlusion in brain.34 Despite several studies involving Nrf2 pathway in various ischemic diseases, to the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to demonstrate the contribution of the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway in rAION model. Here, NFE2L2 is linked to ischemic disease.