MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty-four 8-month-old C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups and studied for two weeks: 1) the aortic dissection (AD) Model group (N=8) underwent intraperitoneal injection of angiotensin II (Ang II) (5 ml/kg) three times every 24 h; 2) the mercaptoethanol Treated group (N=8) were given oral mercaptoethanol (2.5 mM); the Normal group (N=8) underwent intraperitoneal injection of noradrenaline (5 mg/kg) three times every 24 h. Sections of mouse aorta were prepared for histology with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining; immunohistochemistry was performed to detect levels of: nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NFE2L2), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), p65, superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1), glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9).