Acute expression of the transcription factor Nrf2 after treatment with quinolinic acid is not induced by oxidative stress in the rat striatum.

•Quinolinic acid increases the transcriptional activity of Nrf2 at 30 min.•Quinolinic acid does not induce ROS production at 30 min.•Nrf2 activation at 30 min occurs in an independent pathway of ROS production.•Quinolinic acid increases DPP3-Keap1 and p62-Keap1 protein interaction at 30 min.•DPP3 and p62 probably participate on Nrf2 activation in quinolinic acid model.