Alpha-Lipoic-Acid / NRF2 Cancer Research Results

ALA, Alpha-Lipoic-Acid: Click to Expand ⟱
Features: antioxidant, energy production in cell mitochondria
Alpha-Lipoic-Acid: also known as lipoic acid or thioctic acid (reduced form is dihydrolipoic acid).
"Universal antioxidant" because it is both water- and fat-soluble and can neutralize free radicals.
-Treatment sometimes as ALA/N (alpha-lipoic acid/low-dose naltresone)
-Also done in IV
-Decreases ROS production, but also has pro-oxidant role.
Normal adult can take 300 milligrams twice a day with food, but they should always take a B-complex vitamin with it. Because B complex vitamins, especially thiamine, and biotin, and riboflavin, are depleted during this metabolic process.
α-Lipoic acid acts as a chelating agent for metal ions, a quenching agent for reactive oxygen species, and a reducing agent for the oxidized form of glutathione and vitamins C and E.
-It seems a paradox that LA functions as both antioxidant and prooxidant. LA functions the pro-oxidant only in special cancer cells, such as A549 and PC9 cells which should show high-level NRF2 expression and high glycolytic level. Through inhibiting PDK1 to further prohibit NRF2; LA functions as anticancer prooxidant.

α-lipoic acid possesses excellent silver chelating properties.

ALA → ROS ↑ (cancer cells; high dose / stressed mitochondria)
ALA → ROS ↓ (normal cells; low–moderate dose)
same pattern seen with: Vitamin C, Menadione, Quercetin, EGCG, Resveratrol
- ALA acts as pro-Oxidant only in cancer cells:#278 - Pro-Oxidant Dose margin >100uM:#304

- Bioavailability: 80-90%, but conversion to EPA/DHA is 5-10% (and takes longer time).
- AI (Adequate Intake): 1.1-1.6g/day.
- human studies have shown that ALA levels decline significantly with age
- 1g of ALA might achieve 500uM in the blood.
- ALA is poorly soluble, lecithin has been used as an amphiphilic matrix to enhance its bioavailability.
- Pilot studies or observational interventions have used flaxseed supplementation (rich in ALA) in doses providing roughly 3–4 g of ALA daily.
- Flaxseed oil is even more concentrated in ALA – typical 50–60% ALA by weight.
- single walnut may contain 300mg of ALA
- chia oil contains 55-65% ALA.
- α-LA can also be obtained from the diet through the consumption of dark green leafy vegetables and meats
- ALA is more stable in chia seeds, (2grams of ALA per tablespoon)
- ALA degrades when exposed to heat, light, and air. (prone to oxidation)

-Note half-life 1-2 hrs.
BioAv 30-40% from walnuts, 60-80% from supplements. Co-ingestion with fat improves absorption. Both fat and water soluble
Pathways:
- induce ROS production
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, UPR↑, GRP78↑, Cyt‑c↑, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑,
- Lowers AntiOxidant defense in Cancer Cells: NRF2↓">NRF2, SOD↓, GSH↓ Catalase↓ HO1↓ GPx↓
- Raises AntiOxidant defense in Normal Cells: ROS↓, NRF2↑">NRF2, SOD↑, GSH↑, Catalase↑,
- lowers Inflammation : NF-kB↓, COX2↓, Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines : IL-1β↓, TNF-α↓, IL-6↓, IL-8↓
- inhibit Growth/Metastases : TumMeta↓, TumCG↓, EMT↓, MMPs↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, IGF-1↓, VEGF↓, FAK↓, NF-κB↓, TGF-β↓, α-SMA↓, ERK↓
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin D1↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, TNF-α↓, FAK↓, ERK↓, EMT↓,
- inhibits glycolysis and ATP depletion : HIF-1α↓, PKM2↓, GLUT1↓, LDHA↓, HK2↓, PFKs↓, PDKs↓, ECAR↓, OXPHOS↓, GRP78↑, Glucose↓, GlucoseCon↓
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, EGFR↓, Integrins↓,
- small indication of inhibiting Cancer Stem Cells : CSC↓, CD24↓, β-catenin↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK, ERK↓, JNK,
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, chemoProtective, RadioSensitizer, RadioProtective, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Renoprotection, Hepatoprotective, CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells

Cancer-Relevant Pathways
Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells Label Interpretation Notes
1 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↑ ROS (dose- & stress-dependent) ↓ ROS Conditional Driver Biphasic redox behavior ALA/DHLA redox cycling can push already stressed cancer mitochondria past tolerance while buffering ROS in normal cells
2 Glutathione (GSH) system ↓ functional buffering ↑ GSH regeneration Secondary Redox amplification vs protection In cancer cells, GSH consumption accompanies ROS escalation; in normal cells DHLA supports GSH recycling
3 Mitochondrial function (ΔΨm) ↓ ΔΨm (stress-induced) ↔ stabilized Secondary Mitochondrial selectivity Cancer cells with unstable ETC show depolarization; normal cells tolerate or benefit metabolically
4 NF-κB signaling ↓ survival signaling ↓ inflammatory tone Secondary Redox-sensitive transcription NF-κB suppression reduces cancer cell survival programs but is anti-inflammatory in normal tissue
5 Cell proliferation ↓ proliferation ↔ spared Phenotypic Cytostatic selectivity ALA slows cancer cell cycling without universal apoptosis
6 Apoptosis ↑ apoptosis (conditional) ↓ apoptosis Phenotypic Threshold-dependent death Occurs in cancer cells when redox stress exceeds buffering capacity
7 NRF2 antioxidant response NRF2 (adaptive, often insufficient) NRF2 (protective) Adaptive Stress compensation NRF2 reflects attempted redox recovery; not a kill mechanism


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⟱
3438- ALA,    The Potent Antioxidant Alpha Lipoic Acid
- Review, NA, NA - Review, AD, NA
*antiOx↑, *cardioP↑, *cognitive↑, *AntiAge↑, *Inflam↓, *AntiCan↑, *neuroP↑, *IronCh↑, *ROS↑, *Weight↓, *Ach↑, *ROS↓, *GSH↑, *lipid-P↓, *memory↑, *NRF2↑, *ChAT↑, *GlucoseCon↑, *Acetyl-CoA↑,
3272- ALA,    Alpha-lipoic acid as a dietary supplement: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential
- Review, AD, NA
*antiOx↑, *glucose↑, *eNOS↑, *NRF2↑, *MMP9↓, *VCAM-1↓, *NF-kB↓, *cardioP↑, *cognitive↑, *eff↓, *BBB↑, *IronCh↑, *GSH↑, *PKCδ↑, *ERK↑, *p38↑, *MAPK↑, *PI3K↑, *Akt↑, *PTEN↓, *AMPK↑, *GLUT4↑, *GLUT1↑, *Inflam↓,
3271- ALA,    Decrypting the potential role of α-lipoic acid in Alzheimer's disease
- Review, AD, NA
*antiOx↑, *memory↑, *neuroP↑, *Inflam↓, *IronCh↑, *NRF2↑, *BBB↑, *GlucoseCon↑, *Ach↑, *ROS↓, *p‑tau↓, *Aβ↓, *cognitive↑, *Hif1a↑, *Ca+2↓, *GLUT3↑, *GLUT4↑, *HO-1↑, *VEGF↑, *PDKs↓, *PDH↑, *VCAM-1↓, *GSH↑, *NRF2↑, *hepatoP↑, *ChAT↑,
3550- ALA,    Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Beneficial or Harmful in Alzheimer's Disease?
- Review, AD, NA
*antiOx↑, *Inflam↓, *PGE2↓, *COX2↓, *iNOS↓, *TNF-α↓, *IL1β↓, *IL6↓, *BioAv↓, *Ach↑, *ROS↓, *cognitive↑, *neuroP↑, *BBB↑, *Half-Life↓, *BioAv↑, *Casp3↓, *Casp9↓, *ChAT↑, *cognitive↑, *eff↑, *cAMP↑, *IL2↓, *INF-γ↓, *TNF-α↓, *SIRT1↑, *SOD↑, *GPx↑, *MDA↓, *NRF2↑,
3541- ALA,    Insights on alpha lipoic and dihydrolipoic acids as promising scavengers of oxidative stress and possible chelators in mercury toxicology
- Review, Var, NA
*antiOx↑, *IronCh↑, *GSH↑, *BBB↑, Apoptosis↑, MMP↓, ROS↑, lipid-P↑, PARP1↑, Casp3↑, Casp9↑, *NRF2↑, *GSH↑, *ROS↓, RenoP↑, ChemoSen↑, *BG↓,
3539- ALA,    Alpha-lipoic acid as a dietary supplement: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential
- Review, AD, NA
*ROS↓, *IronCh↑, *GSH↑, *antiOx↑, *NRF2↑, *MMP9↓, *VCAM-1↓, *NF-kB↓, *cognitive↑, *Inflam↓, *BioAv↝, *BioAv↝, *BBB↑, *H2O2∅, *neuroP↑, *PKCδ↑, *ERK↑, *MAPK↑, *PI3K↑, *Akt↑, *PTEN↓, *AMPK↑, *GLUT4↑, *GlucoseCon↑, *BP↝, *eff↑, *ICAM-1↓, *VCAM-1↓, *Dose↝,
3456- ALA,    Renal-Protective Roles of Lipoic Acid in Kidney Disease
- Review, NA, NA
*RenoP↑, *ROS↓, *antiOx↑, *Inflam↓, *Sepsis↓, *IronCh↑, *BUN↓, *creat↓, *TNF-α↓, *IL6↓, *IL1β↓, *MDA↓, *NRF2↑, *HO-1↑, *NQO1↑, *chemoP↑, *eff↑, *NF-kB↓,
3449- ALA,    Alpha-Lipoic Acid Downregulates IL-1β and IL-6 by DNA Hypermethylation in SK-N-BE Neuroblastoma Cells
- in-vitro, AD, SK-N-BE
*antiOx↑, *NRF2↑, *NF-kB↓, *IL1β↓, *IL6↓, neuroP↑,
278- ALA,    The Multifaceted Role of Alpha-Lipoic Acid in Cancer Prevention, Occurrence, and Treatment
- Review, NA, NA
ROS↑, NRF2↑, Inflam↓, frataxin↑, *BioAv↓, ChemoSen↑, Hif1a↓, eff↑, FAK↓, ITGB1↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, EMT↓, Snail↓, Vim↓, Zeb1↓, P53↑, MGMT↓, Mcl-1↓, Bcl-xL↓, Bcl-2↓, survivin↓, Casp3↑, Casp9↑, BAX↑, p‑Akt↓, GSK‐3β↓, *antiOx↑, *ROS↓, selectivity↑, angioG↓, MMPs↓, NF-kB↓, ITGB3↓, NADPH↓,
267- ALA,    α-Lipoic Acid Targeting PDK1/NRF2 Axis Contributes to the Apoptosis Effect of Lung Cancer Cells
- vitro+vivo, Lung, A549 - vitro+vivo, Lung, PC9
Apoptosis↑, ROS↑, PDK1↓, NRF2↓, PDK1↓, Bcl-2↓, Casp9↑, Dose∅,
265- ALA,    Alpha-Lipoic Acid Reduces Cell Growth, Inhibits Autophagy, and Counteracts Prostate Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion: Evidence from In Vitro Studies
- in-vitro, Pca, LNCaP - in-vitro, Pca, DU145
ROS↓, SOD↓, GSTP1/GSTπ↓, NRF2↓, p62↓, p62↑, SOD↑, p‑mTOR↑, Beclin-1↓, ROS↑, SOD1↑,
1235- ALA,  Cisplatin,    α-Lipoic acid prevents against cisplatin cytotoxicity via activation of the NRF2/HO-1 antioxidant pathway
- in-vitro, Nor, HEI-OC1 - ex-vivo, NA, NA
ROS↑, HO-1↓, *toxicity↓, chemoP↑, *ROS↓, *HO-1↑, *SOD1↑, *NRF2↑,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 12 of 12

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 12

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

frataxin↑, 1,   GSTP1/GSTπ↓, 1,   HO-1↓, 1,   lipid-P↑, 1,   NRF2↓, 2,   NRF2↑, 1,   ROS↓, 1,   ROS↑, 5,   SOD↓, 1,   SOD↑, 1,   SOD1↑, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics

MMP↓, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis

NADPH↓, 1,   PDK1↓, 2,  

Cell Death

p‑Akt↓, 1,   Apoptosis↑, 2,   BAX↑, 1,   Bcl-2↓, 2,   Bcl-xL↓, 1,   Casp3↑, 2,   Casp9↑, 3,   Mcl-1↓, 1,   survivin↓, 1,  

Autophagy & Lysosomes

Beclin-1↓, 1,   p62↓, 1,   p62↑, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair

MGMT↓, 1,   P53↑, 1,   PARP1↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

EMT↓, 1,   GSK‐3β↓, 1,   p‑mTOR↑, 1,  

Migration

FAK↓, 1,   ITGB1↓, 1,   ITGB3↓, 1,   MMP2↓, 1,   MMP9↓, 1,   MMPs↓, 1,   Snail↓, 1,   Vim↓, 1,   Zeb1↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature

angioG↓, 1,   Hif1a↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

Inflam↓, 1,   NF-kB↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

ChemoSen↑, 2,   Dose∅, 1,   eff↑, 1,   selectivity↑, 1,  

Functional Outcomes

chemoP↑, 1,   neuroP↑, 1,   RenoP↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 52

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

antiOx↑, 9,   GPx↑, 1,   GSH↑, 6,   H2O2∅, 1,   HO-1↑, 3,   lipid-P↓, 1,   MDA↓, 2,   NQO1↑, 1,   NRF2↑, 10,   ROS↓, 8,   ROS↑, 1,   SOD↑, 1,   SOD1↑, 1,  

Metal & Cofactor Biology

IronCh↑, 6,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis

Acetyl-CoA↑, 1,   AMPK↑, 2,   BUN↓, 1,   cAMP↑, 1,   glucose↑, 1,   GlucoseCon↑, 3,   PDH↑, 1,   PDKs↓, 1,   SIRT1↑, 1,  

Cell Death

Akt↑, 2,   Casp3↓, 1,   Casp9↓, 1,   iNOS↓, 1,   MAPK↑, 2,   p38↑, 1,  

Transcription & Epigenetics

Ach↑, 3,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

ERK↑, 2,   PI3K↑, 2,   PTEN↓, 2,  

Migration

Ca+2↓, 1,   MMP9↓, 2,   PKCδ↑, 2,   VCAM-1↓, 4,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature

eNOS↑, 1,   Hif1a↑, 1,   VEGF↑, 1,  

Barriers & Transport

BBB↑, 5,   GLUT1↑, 1,   GLUT3↑, 1,   GLUT4↑, 3,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

COX2↓, 1,   ICAM-1↓, 1,   IL1β↓, 3,   IL2↓, 1,   IL6↓, 3,   INF-γ↓, 1,   Inflam↓, 6,   NF-kB↓, 4,   PGE2↓, 1,   TNF-α↓, 3,  

Synaptic & Neurotransmission

ChAT↑, 3,   p‑tau↓, 1,  

Protein Aggregation

Aβ↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

BioAv↓, 2,   BioAv↑, 1,   BioAv↝, 2,   Dose↝, 1,   eff↓, 1,   eff↑, 3,   Half-Life↓, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers

BG↓, 1,   BP↝, 1,   creat↓, 1,   IL6↓, 3,  

Functional Outcomes

AntiAge↑, 1,   AntiCan↑, 1,   cardioP↑, 2,   chemoP↑, 1,   cognitive↑, 6,   hepatoP↑, 1,   memory↑, 2,   neuroP↑, 4,   RenoP↑, 1,   toxicity↓, 1,   Weight↓, 1,  

Infection & Microbiome

Sepsis↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 80

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: NRF2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2
12 Alpha-Lipoic-Acid
1 Cisplatin
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#:29  Target#:226  State#:%  Dir#:%
wNotes=0 sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

Home Page