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⟱
4992- ART/DHA,    Dihydroartemisinin Increases the Sensitivity of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells to Cytarabine via the Nrf2/HO-1 Anti-Oxidant Signaling Pathway
- in-vitro, AML, HL-60
Apoptosis↑, The combination of Ara-C and DHA synergistically promoted the apoptosis and differentiation of HL-60 cells
Diff↑,
ROS↓, Mechanistically, synergistic cytotoxic effects of Ara-C/DHA on HL-60 cells may be mediated by decreasing intracellular ROS levels
HO-1↓, However, DHA only caused the down-regulation of HO-1, whereas the expression level of nuclear Nrf2 was unaffected.
NRF2∅,

2625- Ba,  LT,    Baicalein and luteolin inhibit ischemia/reperfusion-induced ferroptosis in rat cardiomyocyte
- in-vivo, Stroke, NA
*lipid-P↓, Baicalein and luteolin prevented the Fe-SP-induced lipid peroxidation in rat neonatal cardiomyocytes.
*ACSL4∅, Baicalein and luteolin can reduce the protein levels of ACSL4 and Nrf2, and enhance the protein levels of GPX4 in ischemia/reperfusion-treated rat hearts.
*NRF2∅, Our results suggest that BAI and Lut prevented the I/R-induced increased of ACSL4, NRF2, and HO-1 protein
*GPx4∅, BAI and Lut prevented the I/R-induced increased of ACSL4, NRF2, and HO-1 protein, and the I/R-decreased GPX4 protein levels
*Ferroptosis↓, BAI was found to suppress ferroptosis in cancer cells via reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation.
*ROS↓,
*MDA↓, Moreover, both BAI and Lut decreased ROS and malondialdehyde (MDA) generation and the protein levels of ferroptosis markers, and restored Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) protein levels in cardiomyocytes reduced by ferroptosis inducers
*eff↑, BAI and Lut reduced the I/R-induced myocardium infarction
*HO-1∅, Our results suggest that BAI and Lut prevented the I/R-induced increased of ACSL4, NRF2, and HO-1 protein

3255- PBG,    Propolis reversed cigarette smoke-induced emphysema through macrophage alternative activation independent of Nrf2
- in-vivo, Nor, NA
*IGF-1↓, propolis downregulated IGF1 expression
*MMP2↑, Propolis also increased MMP-2 and decreased MMP-12 expression, favoring the process of tissue repair.
*ROS↓, propolis recruited leukocytes, including macrophages, without ROS release.
*Inflam↓, thus increasing the number of arginase-positive cells and IL-10 levels and favoring an anti-inflammatory microenvironment
*IL10↓,
*NRF2∅, Proteins and enzymes related to Nrf2 were not altered,

1985- PTL,    KEAP1 Is a Redox Sensitive Target That Arbitrates the Opposing Radiosensitive Effects of Parthenolide in Normal and Cancer Cells
- in-vitro, Pca, LNCaP - in-vitro, Pca, DU145 - in-vitro, Nor, PrEC - in-vivo, NA, NA
ROS↑, parthenolide enhances ROS production in prostate cancer cells through activation of NADPH oxidase
NADPH↑,
RadioS↑, In vivo, parthenolide increases radiosensitivity of mouse xenograft tumors but protects normal prostate and bladder tissues against radiation-induced injury
radioP↑, DMAPT, the water soluble prodrug of parthenolide, is a promising agent for selectively enhancing the sensitivity of prostate cancer cells to radiation while protecting normal tissues from damage caused by radiation.
Trx↓, causes oxidation of thioredoxin (TrX) in prostate cancer cells
*ox-Keap1↑, three normal cell lines, parthenolide increased the oxidized form of Keap1 but decreased the reduced form of Keap1
ox-Keap1↓, results from the three cancer cell lines appeared to be completely opposite to results observed in normal cells treated with parthenolide
rd-Keap1↑, in vivo results show that parthenolide decreased the oxidized form of Keap1 but increased the reduced form of Keap1 in the tumors
*NRF2↑, Oxidization of Keap1 leads to activation of the Nrf2 pro-survival pathway in normal cells. Nrf2 pathway is a major mechanism by which parthenolide protects normal cells against radiation injury
NRF2∅, but no changes were observed in the three cancer cell lines.
NF-kB↓, It has been reported that parthenolide is a potent inhibitor of NF-κB

1494- SFN,  doxoR,    Sulforaphane potentiates anticancer effects of doxorubicin and attenuates its cardiotoxicity in a breast cancer model
- in-vivo, BC, NA - in-vitro, BC, MCF-7 - in-vitro, Nor, MCF10
CardioT↓, SFN (4 mg/kg, 5 days/week) protected against mortality and cardiac dysfunction induced by DOX
*GSH↑, Rats Hearts: SFN and DOX co-treatment reduced MDA and 4-HNE adduct formation and also prevented DOX-induced depletion of GSH levels
*ROS↓, SFN reduces DOX-induced oxidative stress in the heart of non-tumor bearing rats.
*NRF2↑, activates Nrf2 in rat hearts during DOX treatment
NRF2∅, SFN does not interfere with DOX toxicity or Nrf2 activity in breast cancer cell lines
HDAC↓, SFN acts synergistically with DOX to inhibit HDAC and DNMT activity, decrease ERα detection and increase caspase-3 activity
DNMTs↓,
Casp3↑,
ER-α36↓, ERα levels in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231
Remission↑, SFN+DOX treatment (with a total DOX dose of 20 mg/kg) was able to eradicate the tumors in all rats by day 35 after tumor implantation
eff↑, SFN (4 mg/kg oral; 5 days/week for 5 weeks) with DOX (total of 10 or 20 mg/kg i.p. administered over 4 weeks) and showed that in combination with SFN, the dosage of DOX could be < by 50% while still eliciting the same anti-cancer effects as DOX alone
ROS↑, Increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), an altered redox status, and aerobic glycolysis for energy production distinguish highly proliferative cancer cells from normal healthy cells
selectivity?, ROS production... distinguish highly proliferative cancer cells from normal healthy cells


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

HO-1↓, 1,   ox-Keap1↓, 1,   rd-Keap1↑, 1,   NRF2∅, 3,   ROS↓, 1,   ROS↑, 2,   Trx↓, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis

NADPH↑, 1,  

Cell Death

Apoptosis↑, 1,   Casp3↑, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair

DNMTs↓, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

Diff↑, 1,   HDAC↓, 1,  

Migration

ER-α36↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

NF-kB↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

eff↑, 1,   RadioS↑, 1,   selectivity?, 1,  

Functional Outcomes

CardioT↓, 1,   radioP↑, 1,   Remission↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 21

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

Ferroptosis↓, 1,   GPx4∅, 1,   GSH↑, 1,   HO-1∅, 1,   ox-Keap1↑, 1,   lipid-P↓, 1,   MDA↓, 1,   NRF2↑, 2,   NRF2∅, 2,   ROS↓, 3,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis

ACSL4∅, 1,  

Cell Death

Ferroptosis↓, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

IGF-1↓, 1,  

Migration

MMP2↑, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

IL10↓, 1,   Inflam↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

eff↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 17

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: NRF2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2
1 Artemisinin
1 Baicalein
1 Luteolin
1 Propolis -bee glue
1 Parthenolide
1 Sulforaphane (mainly Broccoli)
1 doxorubicin
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#:6
wNotes=on sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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