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

Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
254- AL,    Allicin and Cancer Hallmarks
- Review, Var, NA
NRF2⇅, 40 nM
BAX↑,
Bcl-2↓,
Fas↑,
MMP↓,
Bax:Bcl2↑,
Cyt‑c↑,
Casp3↑,
Casp12↑,
GSH↓, Allicin can easily penetrate the cell membrane and react with the cellular thiol to transiently deplete the intracellular GSH level, inducing the inhibition of cell cycle progression and growth arrest [98].
TumCCA↑,
ROS↑, An in vitro study indicated that allicin encourages oxidative stress and autophagy in Saos-2 and U2OS (osteosarcoma cells) by modulating the MALATI-miR-376a-Wnt and β-catenin pathway [99].
antiOx↓, As an antioxidant phytochemical, it scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protects cells from oxidative DNA damage [34].

3212- EGCG,    EGCG maintained Nrf2-mediated redox homeostasis and minimized etoposide resistance in lung cancer cells
- in-vitro, Lung, A549 - in-vivo, Lung, NCIH23
NRF2⇅, In A549, EGCG downregulated nuclear Nrf2 by upregulating the nuclear localization of Keap1 whereas in NCIH23, EGCG augmented Nrf2 by reducing Keap1.
eff↑, Though the direction of Nrf2 regulation was opposite in two cell lines, optimum level of Nrf2 was maintained which increased responsiveness towards etoposide. EGCG sensitized/potentiated lung adenocarcinoma cells towards chemotherapy by inducing G2/
SOD1↑, n NCIH23, the downstream targets of Nrf2, NQO1 and MRP1 did not show any significant alteration in expression with respect to control, with an exception of SOD1(upregulated by 1.28 times)
SOD1↓, EGCG showed exactly opposite effect in A549. It again effectively fitted in a U-shaped hormetic downregulation for all three downstream targets. EGCG (0.5 μM/12 h) most effectively downregulated SOD-1, NQO1 and MRP1expression
MMP2⇅, However, EGCG (0.5 μM) itself increased the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9. The lowest dose of EGCG required to inhibit MMP-2 and MMP-9 was reported, 8–13 μM in different cancer cell lines
MMP9⇅,

2595- LT,    Regulation of Nrf2/ARE Pathway by Dietary Flavonoids: A Friend or Foe for Cancer Management?
- Review, Var, NA
*NRF2↑, Nrf2/ARE Activation in Non-Cancer Experimental Model - (luteolin, baicalin and apigenin) are more prominent in upregulating Nrf2 protein expression in both in vitro
NRF2↓, , luteolin, apigenin and chrysin, were found to be effective in inhibiting the Nrf2/ARE pathway in different cancer cell lines [60,61,62,63,68,209].
NRF2⇅, luteolin exhibits dual roles in cancer cell growth in vitro and cancer promotion in vivo

2962- PL,    Synthesis of Piperlongumine Analogues and Discovery of Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2‑Related Factor 2 (Nrf2) Activators as Potential Neuroprotective Agents
- in-vitro, Nor, PC12
*GSH↑, compounds 4 and 5 remarkably elevats GSH level and antioxidant enzymes activity (NQO1, Trx, and TrxR).
*NQO1↑,
*Trx↑,
*TrxR↑,
*NRF2↑, revealed that the total Nrf2 expression was slightly upregulated. 4 and 5, have been identified as potent Nrf2 activators with minimal cytotoxicity.
*NRF2⇅, Notably, the cytosolic Nrf2 decreased gradually (Figure 9, middle panel). Coincidently, the amount of Nrf2 in nuclei increased.
*eff↑, Induction of transcription of antioxidant genes via the Nrf2-dependent cytoprotective pathway requires translocation of Nrf2 from cytosol to nucleus.
*BioAv↑, PL could cross the BBB after oral administration
*ROS↓, The elevation of cellular endogenous antioxidant system prevents the accumulation of ROS and thus confers protection against oxidative insults to the cells.

3108- VitC,  QC,    The role of quercetin and vitamin C in Nrf2-dependent oxidative stress production in breast cancer cells
- in-vitro, BC, MDA-MB-231 - in-vitro, Lung, A549
NRF2↓, significant decrease in the expression of Nrf2 mRNA and protein levels following the treatment of breast cancer cells with VC and Q
HO-1↓, In the MDA-MB 231 and MCF-7 cell lines, HO1 was significantly suppressed following treatment with VC and Q
ROS↑, It was demonstrated that ROS levels significantly increased in tumor cells treated with VC and Q.
NRF2⇅, it was demonstrated that treatment of MDA-MB 231 cells with 25 µM Q increased the expression of Nrf2, while 50 and 75 µM Q decreased the mRNA levels of Nrf2.


Showing Research Papers: 1 to 5 of 5

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 5

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

antiOx↓, 1,   GSH↓, 1,   HO-1↓, 1,   NRF2↓, 2,   NRF2⇅, 4,   ROS↑, 2,   SOD1↓, 1,   SOD1↑, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics

MMP↓, 1,  

Cell Death

BAX↑, 1,   Bax:Bcl2↑, 1,   Bcl-2↓, 1,   Casp12↑, 1,   Casp3↑, 1,   Cyt‑c↑, 1,   Fas↑, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence

TumCCA↑, 1,  

Migration

MMP2⇅, 1,   MMP9⇅, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

eff↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 20

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

GSH↑, 1,   NQO1↑, 1,   NRF2↑, 2,   NRF2⇅, 1,   ROS↓, 1,   Trx↑, 1,   TrxR↑, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

BioAv↑, 1,   eff↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 9

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: NRF2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2
1 Allicin (mainly Garlic)
1 EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate)
1 Luteolin
1 Piperlongumine
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:%  Cells:%  prod#:%  Target#:226  State#:%  Dir#:3
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