Ursolic acid / Nrf1 Cancer Research Results

UA, Ursolic acid: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Natural compound found in apples and rosemary.
Ursolic acid (UA) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid found in many plants (notably apple peel, rosemary, thyme, holy basil, and other herbs). In cancer models it is best described as a multi-target signaling modulator with prominent effects on NF-κB inflammation/survival transcription, STAT3, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and MAPK pathways, with downstream outcomes including cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis, anti-angiogenesis, and reduced invasion/EMT. A practical translational constraint is poor aqueous solubility and low oral bioavailability, so many strong in-vitro µM effects may not map cleanly to typical oral exposure without formulation.

Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells TSF Primary Effect Notes / Interpretation
1 NF-κB inflammatory / survival transcription NF-κB ↓; COX-2/iNOS/cytokines/Bcl-2 family/MMPs ↓ (reported) Inflammation tone ↓ (context) R, G Anti-inflammatory + anti-survival transcription One of the most frequently reported UA effects across tumor models; downstream impacts include reduced pro-survival and pro-metastatic gene programs.
2 STAT3 axis (JAK/STAT3 signaling) STAT3 activity ↓ (reported); downstream targets ↓ ↔ R, G Oncogenic transcription suppression UA is often reported to suppress STAT3 signaling, contributing to reduced proliferation/survival signaling.
3 PI3K → AKT (± mTOR) survival axis PI3K/AKT ↓; mTORC1 tone ↓ (reported; model-dependent) ↔ R, G Growth/survival modulation Commonly listed mechanism; direction and strength vary by cell line and exposure.
4 MAPK re-wiring (ERK / JNK / p38) Stress-MAPK modulation (context-dependent) ↔ P, R, G Signal reprogramming JNK/p38 activation and ERK modulation are reported variably; avoid fixed arrows unless tied to a specific model.
5 Cell-cycle checkpoints (Cyclins/CDKs; p21/p27) Cell-cycle arrest ↑ (G1/S or G2/M; reported); Cyclin D1/CDKs ↓ (context) ↔ G Cytostasis Often downstream of NF-κB/STAT3/PI3K signaling suppression.
6 Intrinsic apoptosis (mitochondrial/caspase linked) Apoptosis ↑; Bax ↑; Bcl-2 ↓; caspases ↑ (reported) ↔ (generally less activation) G Cell death execution Common downstream endpoint; can be coupled to stress signaling and survival pathway suppression.
7 Angiogenesis signaling (VEGF / HIF-1α outputs) VEGF ↓; angiogenic outputs ↓ (reported) ↔ G Anti-angiogenic support Typically phenotype-level effects tied to NF-κB/PI3K/HIF programs.
8 Invasion / metastasis programs (MMPs / EMT) MMP2/MMP9 ↓; EMT markers ↓; migration/invasion ↓ (reported) ↔ G Anti-invasive phenotype Often downstream of NF-κB/STAT3 changes; not universal across all tumors.
9 ROS / redox modulation ROS direction variable; redox stress or buffering reported (context) Oxidative injury ↓ in some non-tumor stress models P, R, G Stress modulation UA is not a reliable “pro-oxidant killer”; redox effects depend on dose, model, and baseline oxidative state.
10 Bioavailability / formulation constraint Systemic exposure often limited (poor solubility) — — Translation constraint UA is highly lipophilic with poor aqueous solubility; many formulations (e.g., nanoparticles, phospholipid complexes) are explored to improve exposure.

Time-Scale Flag (TSF): P / R / G

  • P: 0–30 min (rapid signaling interactions)
  • R: 30 min–3 hr (acute stress-response + transcription signaling shifts)
  • G: >3 hr (gene-regulatory adaptation and phenotype-level outcomes)
Nrf1, Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 1: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type: transcription factor
Nrf1 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 1) is a transcription factor that plays a crucial role in regulating cellular responses to stress, including oxidative stress and proteotoxic stress. While Nrf1 is generally considered a tumor suppressor, its expression and activity can be altered in various types of cancer, leading to either oncogenic or tumor-suppressive effects.

NRF1, together with related factors like NRF2, contributes to the cellular defense against oxidative damage by regulating antioxidant gene expression.

– This role can be double-edged: while it protects normal cells from damage, in cancer cells, enhanced antioxidant capacity might foster resistance to therapeutic agents that rely on oxidative stress to kill tumor cells.
Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
942- UA,    Ursolic Acid Inhibits Breast Cancer Metastasis by Suppressing Glycolytic Metabolism via Activating SP1/Caveolin-1 Signaling
- vitro+vivo, BC, MCF-7 - in-vitro, BC, MDA-MB-231
Cav1↑, Glycolysis↓, cMyc↓, LDHA↓, Nrf1↓, PGC-1α↓, Sp1/3/4↑, TumCG↓,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 1 of 1

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 1

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

Nrf1↓, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

PGC-1α↓, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

Cav1↑, 1,   cMyc↓, 1,   Glycolysis↓, 1,   LDHA↓, 1,  

Kinase & Signal Transduction ⓘ

Sp1/3/4↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

TumCG↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 8

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: Nrf1, Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 1
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:%  Cells:%  prod#:164  Target#:878  State#:%  Dir#:%
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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