NRF2 Cancer Research Results

NRF2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2: Click to Expand ⟱
Source: TCGA
Type: Antiapoptotic
Nrf2 is responsible for regulating an extensive panel of antioxidant enzymes involved in the detoxification and elimination of oxidative stress. Thought of as "Master Regulator" of antioxidant response.
-One way to estimate Nrf2 induction is through the expression of NQO1.
NQO1, the most potent inducer:
SFN 0.2 μM,
quercetin (2.5 μM),
curcumin (2.7 μM),
Silymarin (3.6 μM),
tamoxifen (5.9 μM),
genistein (6.2 μM ),
beta-carotene (7.2μM),
lutein (17 μM),
resveratrol (21 μM),
indol-3-carbinol (50 μM),
chlorophyll (250 μM),
alpha-cryptoxanthin (1.8 mM),
and zeaxanthin (2.2 mM)

1. Raising Nrf2 enhances the cell's antioxidant defenses and ↓ROS. This strategy is used to decrease chemo-radio side effects.
2. Downregulating Nrf2 lowers antioxidant defenses and ↑ROS. In cancer cells this leads to DNA damage, and cell death.
3. However there are some cases where increasing Nrf2 paradoxically causes an increase in ROS (cancer cells). Such as cases of Mitochondial overload, signal crosstalk, reductive stress

-In some cases, Nrf2 is overexpressed in cancer cells, which can lead to the activation of genes involved in cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. This can contribute to the development of resistance to chemotherapy and targeted therapies.
-Increased Nrf2 expression: Lung, Breast, Colorectal, Prostrate.
Decreased Nrf2 expression: Skine, Liver, Pancreatic.
-Nrf2 is a cytoprotective transcription factor which demonstrated both a negative effect as well as a positive effect on cancer
- "promotes Nrf2 translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus," means facilitates the movement of Nrf2 into the nucleus, thereby enhancing the cell's antioxidant and cytoprotective responses. -Major regulator of Nrf2 activity in cells is the cytosolic inhibitor Keap1.

Nrf2 Inhibitors and Activators
Nrf2 Inhibitors: Brusatol, Luteolin, Trigonelline, VitC, Retinoic acid, Chrysin
Nrf2 Activators: SFN, OPZ EGCG, Resveratrol, DATS, CUR, CDDO, Api
- potent Nrf2 inducers from plants include sulforaphane, curcumin, EGCG, resveratrol, caffeic acid phenethyl ester, wasabi, cafestol and kahweol (coffee), cinnamon, ginger, garlic, lycopene, rosemany

Nrf2 plays dual roles in that it can protect normal tissues against oxidative damage and can act as an oncogenic protein in tumor tissue.
– In healthy tissues, NRF2 activation helps protect cells from oxidative damage and maintains cellular homeostasis.
– In many cancers, constitutive activation of NRF2 (often through mutations in NRF2 itself or loss-of-function mutations in KEAP1) leads to an enhanced antioxidant capacity.
– This upregulation can promote tumor cell survival by enabling cancer cells to thrive under oxidative stress, resist chemotherapeutic agents, and sustain metabolic reprogramming.
– Elevated NRF2 levels have been implicated in promoting tumor growth, metastasis, and resistance to therapy in various malignancies.
– High or sustained NRF2 activity is frequently associated with aggressive tumor phenotypes, poorer prognosis, and decreased overall survival in several cancer types.
– While its activation is essential for protecting normal cells from oxidative stress, aberrant or sustained NRF2 activation in tumor cells can lead to enhanced survival, therapeutic resistance, and tumor progression.

NRF2 inhibitors: (to decrease antioxidant defenses and increase cell death from ROS).
-Brusatol: most cited natural inhibitors of Nrf2.
-Luteolin: luteolin can reduce Nrf2 activity in specific cancer models and may enhance cell sensitivity to chemotherapy. However, luteolin is also known as an antioxidant, and its influence on Nrf2 can sometimes be context dependent.
-Apigenin: certain studies to down‑regulate Nrf2 in cancer cells: Dose and context dependent .
-Oridonin:
-Wogonin: although its effects might be cell‑ and dose‑specific.
- Withaferin A

Pca, Prostate Cancer: Click to Expand ⟱
Prostate Cancer: Alterations in genes such as ERG, SPOP, MYC, androgen receptor (AR), and CHD1, drive PCa progression.
TP53 is the most commonly mutated gene in human cancer.
HH↑, GLI-1↑, SHH↑ P53↓
The loss of p53 and/or other tumor suppressor genes, reduced capacity for DNA repair, the dysfunction of telomerase activity, and changes in the pathways that govern the growth of cells also mediate the progression of Pca.
It has been well documented that Ca2+ influx and MDR1 upregulation are highly associated with GEM metabolism in human pancreatic carcinoma.
Increased Growth factor IGF-1/IGF-1R axis activation mediated by both PI3K/Akt or RAF/MEK/ERK system and AR expression remains important in the development and progression of prostate cancer.
It has been demonstrated that prostate cancer cells are relatively sensitive to heat stress.
Long non-coding RNA MALAT1 has been reported as an oncogenic target in multiple types of cancers, including PC.


Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
265- ALA,    Alpha-Lipoic Acid Reduces Cell Growth, Inhibits Autophagy, and Counteracts Prostate Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion: Evidence from In Vitro Studies
- in-vitro, Pca, LNCaP - in-vitro, Pca, DU145
ROS↓, SOD↓, GSTP1/GSTπ↓, NRF2↓, p62↓, p62↑, SOD↑, p‑mTOR↑, Beclin-1↓, ROS↑, SOD1↑,
4780- Lyco,    Potential inhibitory effect of lycopene on prostate cancer
- Review, Pca, NA
TumCP↓, TumCCA↑, Apoptosis↑, *neuroP↑, *NF-kB↓, *JNK↓, *NRF2↑, *BDNF↑, *Ca+2↝, *antiOx↑, *AntiCan↑, *Inflam↓, *IL1↓, *IL6↓, *IL8↓, *TNF-α↓, NF-kB↓, DNAdam↓, PSA↓, P53↓, cycD1/CCND1↓, NRF2↓, Akt2↓, PPARγ↓,
4908- Sal,    Salinomycin triggers prostate cancer cell apoptosis by inducing oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress via suppressing Nrf2 signaling
- in-vitro, Pca, PC3 - in-vitro, Pca, DU145
tumCV↓, ROS↑, lipid-P↑, UPR↑, ER Stress↑, NRF2↓, NADPH↓, HO-1↓, SOD↓, Catalase↓, GPx↓, eff↓, TumCP↓,
114- VitC,  QC,    Chemoprevention of prostate cancer cells by vitamin C plus quercetin: role of Nrf2 in inducing oxidative stress
- in-vitro, Pca, PC3 - in-vitro, Pca, DU145
GPx↓, GSR↓, NQO1↓, NRF2↓, ROS↑,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 4 of 4

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 4

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

Catalase↓, 1,   GPx↓, 2,   GSR↓, 1,   GSTP1/GSTπ↓, 1,   HO-1↓, 1,   lipid-P↑, 1,   NQO1↓, 1,   NRF2↓, 4,   ROS↓, 1,   ROS↑, 3,   SOD↓, 2,   SOD↑, 1,   SOD1↑, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis

NADPH↓, 1,   PPARγ↓, 1,  

Cell Death

Apoptosis↑, 1,  

Transcription & Epigenetics

tumCV↓, 1,  

Protein Folding & ER Stress

ER Stress↑, 1,   UPR↑, 1,  

Autophagy & Lysosomes

Beclin-1↓, 1,   p62↓, 1,   p62↑, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair

DNAdam↓, 1,   P53↓, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence

cycD1/CCND1↓, 1,   TumCCA↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

p‑mTOR↑, 1,  

Migration

Akt2↓, 1,   TumCP↓, 2,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

NF-kB↓, 1,   PSA↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

eff↓, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers

PSA↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 33

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

antiOx↑, 1,   NRF2↑, 1,  

Cell Death

JNK↓, 1,  

Migration

Ca+2↝, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

IL1↓, 1,   IL6↓, 1,   IL8↓, 1,   Inflam↓, 1,   NF-kB↓, 1,   TNF-α↓, 1,  

Synaptic & Neurotransmission

BDNF↑, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers

IL6↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes

AntiCan↑, 1,   neuroP↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 14

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: NRF2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2
1 Alpha-Lipoic-Acid
1 Lycopene
1 salinomycin
1 Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
1 Quercetin
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells
Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:22  Cells:%  prod#:%  Target#:226  State#:%  Dir#:1
wNotes=0 sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

Home Page