Plumbagin / NRF2 Cancer Research Results

PLB, Plumbagin: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Plumbagin (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) is a naturally occurring naphthoquinone derivative.

–Plumbagin can undergo redox cycling to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS)
-apototosis, activation of caspases, modulation of Bax, Bcl‑2, loss of MMP.
-Cell cycle arrest in cancer cells, often at the G0/G1, or G2/M phases.
-May inhibit NF‑κB activation
– MAPK Pathways
– PI3K/Akt Pathway
-Downregulation of (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).

-Seems capable of raising ROS in normal and cancer cells (#2004)

-ic50 cancer cells 1-10uM, normal cells >10uM

Rank Pathway / Target Axis Direction Primary Effect Notes / Cancer Relevance Ref
1 Oxidative stress (redox cycling) ↑ ROS Upstream cytotoxic trigger Plumbagin induces ROS; ROS generation is causally linked to cell death in cancer models (ref)
2 Mitochondrial integrity (ΔΨm) ↓ ΔΨm Mitochondrial dysfunction Loss of mitochondrial membrane potential occurs during plumbagin-induced apoptotic progression (ref)
3 Intrinsic apoptosis (caspase cascade) ↑ caspase-dependent apoptosis Programmed cell death Plumbagin triggers apoptosis in leukemia and solid tumor cells; antioxidant rescue attenuates killing (ref)
4 NF-κB signaling ↓ NF-κB activation Reduced pro-survival / inflammatory transcription Demonstrates plumbagin suppresses NF-κB signaling in tumor/immune contexts (direction explicitly shown) (ref)
5 STAT3 signaling ↓ STAT3 phosphorylation Reduced survival & proliferation signaling Plumbagin suppresses constitutive and inducible STAT3 phosphorylation in cancer cells (ref)
6 PI3K–AKT–mTOR signaling ↓ PI3K/AKT/mTOR activity Survival pathway suppression Plumbagin inhibits PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in cancer cells with linked apoptosis/autophagy outcomes (ref)
7 Autophagy program ↑ autophagy Stress response (context-dependent role) Plumbagin induces autophagy alongside apoptosis; pathway involvement (p38, PI3K/AKT/mTOR) is demonstrated (ref)
8 Stress MAPK (p38 MAPK) ↑ p38 activation Stress signaling amplification p38 MAPK activation is implicated in plumbagin-driven apoptosis/autophagy signaling in cancer cells (ref)
9 Cell cycle control ↑ G2/M (or S–G2/M) arrest Proliferation blockade Plumbagin induces checkpoint arrest with changes in cyclins/CDKs consistent with growth inhibition (ref)
10 Death receptor axis (TRAIL receptors DR4/DR5) ↑ DR4/DR5 expression Sensitizes to TRAIL-mediated killing Plumbagin increases DR4/DR5 and enhances TRAIL killing; NAC blocks both ROS and receptor upregulation (ref)
11 EMT / invasion programs ↓ EMT (anti-invasive) Reduced metastasis-related phenotype Plumbagin suppresses epithelial–mesenchymal transition and stemness-related markers in cancer cells (ref)
12 Angiogenesis signaling (VEGFR2/VEGF-driven endothelial responses) ↓ angiogenesis signaling / function Anti-angiogenic effect Plumbagin inhibits tumor angiogenesis via interference with VEGFR2-mediated signaling in endothelial/tumor models (ref)


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

Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
5163- PLB,    Plumbagin suppresses epithelial to mesenchymal transition and stemness via inhibiting Nrf2-mediated signaling pathway in human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells
- in-vitro, SCC, SCC25
TumCP↓, NRF2↓, TumCCA↑, EMT↓, CSCs↓, eff↓, ROS↑, CycB/CCNB1↓, CDK1↓, CDK2↓, CDC25↓, Vim↓, OCT4↓, SOX2↓, Nanog↓, BMI1↓, NQO1↓, GSTA1↓, HSP90↓, toxicity↓,

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 ⓘ

GSTA1↓, 1,   NQO1↓, 1,   NRF2↓, 1,   ROS↑, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

CDC25↓, 1,  

Protein Folding & ER Stress ⓘ

HSP90↓, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence ⓘ

CDK1↓, 1,   CDK2↓, 1,   CycB/CCNB1↓, 1,   TumCCA↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

BMI1↓, 1,   CSCs↓, 1,   EMT↓, 1,   Nanog↓, 1,   OCT4↓, 1,   SOX2↓, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

TumCP↓, 1,   Vim↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

eff↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

toxicity↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 20

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: NRF2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2
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#:299  Target#:226  State#:%  Dir#:1
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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