Title:Transcriptional Control of the Oxidative Stress Response and Implications
of Using Plant Derived Molecules for Therapeutic Interventions
in Cancer
Volume: 28
Issue: 41
Author(s): Asim Rizvi, Mohd Farhan, Faisal Nabi, Rizwan Hasan Khan, Mohd Adil and Aamir Ahmad*
Affiliation:
- Department of
Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama, BMR2, 901 19th St S Birmingham, Alabama
35294, USA
Keywords:
Oxidative stress, cancer, polyphenols, transcriptional control, NRF2, p53.
Abstract: The oxidative stress response is critical for malignant cells. It plays a dual role
by helping cancer cells survive and proliferate but also causing apoptosis and apoptosis--
like cell death. The oxidative stress response is characterized by tight regulation of gene
expression by a series of transcription factors (OSRts; oxidative stress response transcription
factors). In this communication, we review the role of OSRts, notably NRF2 and
p53 as well as other transcription factors that modulate the response. We discuss how hierarchal
the oxidative stress response is and controls ‘live or die’ signals. This is followed
by a discussion on how plant-derived molecules, including polyphenols, which are
described both as prooxidants and antioxidants within the cancer cells, have been reported
to affect the activities of OSRts. Deriving an example from preliminary data from our
group, we discuss how plant-derived molecules might modulate the oxidative stress response
by causing structural perturbations in the proteinaceous transcription factors,
notably Nrf2 and p53. We look at this information in the light of understanding how
plant derived molecules may be used as lead compounds to develop modulators of the
oxidative stress response.
