Nrf2 in Cancer, Detoxifying Enzymes and Cell Death Programs
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in cell proliferation and differentiation. They are also by-products of aerobic living conditions. Their inherent reactivity poses a threat for all cellular components. Cells have, therefore, evolved complex pathways to sense and maintain the redo...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Antioxidants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/7/1030 |
| _version_ | 1827601316279484416 |
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| author | Tabitha Jenkins Jerome Gouge |
| author_facet | Tabitha Jenkins Jerome Gouge |
| author_sort | Tabitha Jenkins |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in cell proliferation and differentiation. They are also by-products of aerobic living conditions. Their inherent reactivity poses a threat for all cellular components. Cells have, therefore, evolved complex pathways to sense and maintain the redox balance. Among them, Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) plays a crucial role: it is activated under oxidative conditions and is responsible for the expression of the detoxification machinery and antiapoptotic factors. It is, however, a double edge sword: whilst it prevents tumorigenesis in healthy cells, its constitutive activation in cancer promotes tumour growth and metastasis. In addition, recent data have highlighted the importance of Nrf2 in evading programmed cell death. In this review, we will focus on the activation of the Nrf2 pathway in the cytoplasm, the molecular basis underlying Nrf2 binding to the DNA, and the dysregulation of this pathway in cancer, before discussing how Nrf2 contributes to the prevention of apoptosis and ferroptosis in cancer and how it is likely to be linked to detoxifying enzymes containing selenium. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:54:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0296970526b1439c98986738434f94a7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3921 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:54:44Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antioxidants |
| spelling | doaj.art-0296970526b1439c98986738434f94a72023-12-03T13:06:41ZengMDPI AGAntioxidants2076-39212021-06-01107103010.3390/antiox10071030Nrf2 in Cancer, Detoxifying Enzymes and Cell Death ProgramsTabitha Jenkins0Jerome Gouge1Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, University of London, London WC1E 7HX, UKInstitute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, University of London, London WC1E 7HX, UKReactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in cell proliferation and differentiation. They are also by-products of aerobic living conditions. Their inherent reactivity poses a threat for all cellular components. Cells have, therefore, evolved complex pathways to sense and maintain the redox balance. Among them, Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) plays a crucial role: it is activated under oxidative conditions and is responsible for the expression of the detoxification machinery and antiapoptotic factors. It is, however, a double edge sword: whilst it prevents tumorigenesis in healthy cells, its constitutive activation in cancer promotes tumour growth and metastasis. In addition, recent data have highlighted the importance of Nrf2 in evading programmed cell death. In this review, we will focus on the activation of the Nrf2 pathway in the cytoplasm, the molecular basis underlying Nrf2 binding to the DNA, and the dysregulation of this pathway in cancer, before discussing how Nrf2 contributes to the prevention of apoptosis and ferroptosis in cancer and how it is likely to be linked to detoxifying enzymes containing selenium.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/7/1030oxidative stressNrf2Brf2cancertranscriptionselenoproteins |
| spellingShingle | Tabitha Jenkins Jerome Gouge Nrf2 in Cancer, Detoxifying Enzymes and Cell Death Programs Antioxidants oxidative stress Nrf2 Brf2 cancer transcription selenoproteins |
| title | Nrf2 in Cancer, Detoxifying Enzymes and Cell Death Programs |
| title_full | Nrf2 in Cancer, Detoxifying Enzymes and Cell Death Programs |
| title_fullStr | Nrf2 in Cancer, Detoxifying Enzymes and Cell Death Programs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nrf2 in Cancer, Detoxifying Enzymes and Cell Death Programs |
| title_short | Nrf2 in Cancer, Detoxifying Enzymes and Cell Death Programs |
| title_sort | nrf2 in cancer detoxifying enzymes and cell death programs |
| topic | oxidative stress Nrf2 Brf2 cancer transcription selenoproteins |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/7/1030 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tabithajenkins nrf2incancerdetoxifyingenzymesandcelldeathprograms AT jeromegouge nrf2incancerdetoxifyingenzymesandcelldeathprograms |