Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 31, 2025

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants
07:39

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants

Published on: June 6, 2025

192

The KEAP1-NRF2 pathway: Targets for therapy and role in cancer

Simone Adinolfi1, Tommi Patinen1, Ashik Jawahar Deen1

  • 1A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70210, Kuopio, Finland.

Redox Biology
|May 5, 2023
PubMed

Insights

The KEAP1-NRF2 pathway protects cells from damage. Recent research advances NRF2 signaling understanding, revealing new therapeutic targets and cancer treatment strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cellular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • The Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1)-Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) pathway is crucial for cellular defense against oxidative and electrophilic stress.
  • Dysregulation of this pathway is implicated in various diseases, driving research into its signaling mechanisms and therapeutic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an updated overview of the KEAP1-NRF2 signaling pathway.
  • To highlight recent advancements in understanding NRF2 activation mechanisms and therapeutic targeting.
  • To summarize novel findings regarding NRF2's role in cancer, including diagnostic and therapeutic implications.

Main Methods:

  • Graphical review synthesizing recent literature.
  • Focus on research advancements from the past decade.

Main Results:

  • Significant progress in elucidating NRF2 activation mechanisms.
  • Identification of novel therapeutic targets within the NRF2 pathway.
  • New insights into the role of NRF2 in cancer development and progression.

Conclusions:

  • The KEAP1-NRF2 pathway remains a critical area for therapeutic intervention.
  • Continued research into NRF2 signaling holds promise for novel cancer diagnostics and treatments.
Keywords:
CancerGene regulationKEAP1NRF2

More Related Videos

Identification of EGFR and RAS Inhibitors using Caenorhabditis elegans08:12

Identification of EGFR and RAS Inhibitors using Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: October 5, 2020

3.1K
Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment11:13

Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment

Published on: June 9, 2023

1.6K

Related Concept Videos

Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
7.7K
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway02:26

NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway

The transcription factor NF-κB was discovered in 1986 in the lab of Nobel laureate Professor David Baltimore, for its interaction with the immunoglobulin light chain enhancer in B-cells. After more than three decades of study, it is now evident that NF-κB regulates the expression of over 100 genes. Most of these genes play an essential role in the innate and adaptive immune responses as well as the inflammatory responses of animals.
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The...
7.6K
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
6.6K
Inhibition of Cdk Activity02:34

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
4.8K
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...
6.7K
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
6.3K