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.
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