Week 5 Draft 1

The Keap1-Nrf2 pathway is a regulator of providing protection to cells from harmful agents like peroxide or singlet oxygen. In this pathway, Nrf2 is bound to Keap1 and is kept it in the cytoplasm unless stressors come in which then means that they dissociate from each other. This leads to Nrf2 entering the nucleus through phosphorylation.  Ubiquitination and degradation of Nrf2 occurs when bound to Keap1. Once in the nucleus Nrf2 binds to ARE (antioxidant response element) and sMaf. When there is a loss of function in Keap1, it leads to Nrf2 to continue and not be regulated. Nrf2 in malignant cells will provide an increase in chemoresistance and this will then facilitate cell growth of the tumor. When there is the overactivation of Nrf2 it is essentially affecting cell proliferation.