Research progress on the functional regulation of Nrf2 gene and its mechanisms in lung cancer / 国际生物医学工程杂志

ABSTRACT

As a nuclear transcription factor , nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) protein plays an important role in regulating intracellular redox balance and cellular resistance to various stresses. Oxidative stress and ionization stress can cause Nrf2 to translocate from cytoplasm to nucleus. Then the Nrf2 binds to antioxidant response elements to regulate the transcription of antioxidant genes such as NQO1 and HO-1 and play the anti-oxidant protective effect. In recent years, the results show that many cancer cells, including lung cancer, involve Nrf2 overexpression, and there is a connection between Nrf2 protein levels and the occurrence, development, chemoradiotherapy resistance as well as the patient prognosis of lung cancer. The excessive Nrf2 protein levels in lung cancer cells, caused by the mutation of Nrf2 or its inhibitory protein Keap1, can promote the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells, leading to chemoradiotherapy resistance and poor prognosis. The structure, function and regulation of Nrf2 were summarized, and the research progress on the mechanism of Nrf2 in the occurrence, development and treatment of lung cancer were reviewed.