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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1995

The rat quinone reductase antioxidant response element. Identification of the nucleotide sequence required for basal and inducible activity and detection of antioxidant response element-binding proteins in hepatoma and non-hepatoma cell lines.

The antioxidant response element (ARE) found in the 5'-flanking region of the rat quinone reductase gene has been further characterized by mutational and deletion analysis. The results indicate that the 31-base pair ARE, which contains a 13-base pair palindromic sequence, can be further separated into three regions, all three of which are required for elevated basal level gene expression. These three regions include the proximal and distal half-sites as well as a 3'-flanking region consisting of 4 adenine nucleotides. Neither the proximal nor the distal half-site alone mediates transcriptional activation by beta-naphthoflavone. However, when placed together the two half-sites restore responsiveness to the inducer. Interestingly, the presence of only 1 of the 4 adenine nucleotides in the 3'-flanking region of the proximal half-site is required for responsiveness to the inducer. Point mutations within the ARE indicate that several nucleotides in both the proximal and distal half-sites are required for basal level gene expression. Electrophoretic mobility shift analysis using the ARE as the probe indicates that enhancers found in the glutathione S-transferase Ya and P genes recognize a similar trans-acting factor(s) found in crude nuclear extracts from human Hep G2 cells. Further, this complex can be detected in nuclear extracts from rat liver and rat hepatoma cells but not in mouse Hepa 1c1c7 cells or in human HeLa cells. The ARE-nucleoprotein complex can also be detected in F9 cells which lack significant levels of Jun/Fos proteins. Although the rat ARE resembles the human quinone reductase ARE which contains a consensus TRE, the 2-nucleotide change in the core sequence (TGACTCA versus TGACTTG) eliminates the high affinity TRE motif in the rat ARE. The rat ARE forms a nucleoprotein complex in Hep G2 and other cells with different properties than AP-1.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Transcriptional regulation of the rat NAD(P)H:quinone reductase gene. Characterization of a DNA-protein interaction at the antioxidant responsive element and induction by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate.

We have previously identified a novel xenobiotic responsive element, which has been termed the antioxidant responsive element (ARE), in the 5'-flanking region of the rat quinone reductase gene (Favreau, L. V., and Pickett, C. B. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 4556-4561). This element is responsible for basal level expression of the gene as well as transcriptional activation by phenolic antioxidants and metabolizable planar aromatic compounds. In this communication, we demonstrate that hydrogen peroxide can act as an inducer through the ARE sequence, a phenomenon recently demonstrated for the glutathione S-transferase Ya subunit gene (Rushmore, T. H., Morton, M. R., and Pickett, C. B. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 11632-11639). To further characterize the quinone reductase ARE, we demonstrate by DNase I footprinting that in crude Hep G2 nuclear extracts a trans-acting factor exists which interacts with a region of DNA found within the 31-nucleotide ARE sequence. Furthermore, electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrate the presence of a specific DNA-protein complex which can be competed only by double-stranded oligonucleotides containing the ARE sequences from the quinone reductase and glutathione S-transferase Ya subunit genes. Methylation interference and protection assays indicate that several guanine residues found in the sequence GTGACTTGGC are involved in the binding of the nuclear factor(s) to the DNA. Although electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicate that the rat quinone reductase ARE does not contain a high affinity recognition site for in vitro translated c-Jun and c-Fos, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate can act as an inducer through the ARE sequence in Hep G2 cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Regulation of rat glutathione S-transferase Ya subunit gene expression. DNA-protein interaction at the antioxidant responsive element.

We have characterized the interaction of the antioxidant responsive element (ARE) in the 5'-flanking region of the rat glutathione S-transferase Ya subunit gene with its trans-acting factor. The ARE core sequence, 5'-ggTGACaaaGC-3', previously identified as the cis-acting element required for activation of the Ya subunit gene by planar aromatic compounds and phenolic antioxidants, is shown to be the high affinity recognition motif for a trans-acting factor(s) as determined by gel mobility shift assays as well as methylation interference and protection studies. The DNA-protein interaction appears to occur in the major groove and involves the GpG dinucleotide preceding and the G residue within the TGAC tetramer on the coding strand of the core sequence. In addition, DNase I protection analysis maps an extended region 5' from the core recognition motif, which was shown previously to be essential for basal activity of the ARE. The trans-acting factor is present in nuclear extracts from untreated and tert-butylhydroquinone-treated cells as determined by photochemical cross-linking experiments. The cross-linked protein appears to be a heterodimer with subunit molecular weights of approximately 28,000 and approximately 45,000.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Transcriptional regulation of the antioxidant response element. Activation by Nrf2 and repression by MafK.

The antioxidant response element (ARE) mediates the transcriptional activation of many genes encoding phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes in response to oxidative stress. Recent studies using knockout mice suggest that NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), along with small Maf proteins, binds and activates the ARE. In this study, using in vitro binding assays, Nrf2/MafK heterodimers were found to interact with high affinity to the ARE. However, distinct differences were observed when this interaction was compared with that formed with nuclear proteins from H4II EC3 or HepG2 cells. Overexpression of Nrf2 activated ARE-mediated transcription in HepG2 cells, and this activation was further increased by tert-butylhydroquinone. In HeLa cells, overexpression of Nrf2 resulted in activation of the ARE, but this activation was no longer induced by tert-butylhydroquinone. Using ARE constructs with point mutations in the core sequence, we found that only mutations at the T or G nucleotides within the core (TGAC) render the ARE unresponsive to Nrf2. Overexpression of MafK led to dose-dependent repression of ARE activity. Activation of the ARE by Nrf2 was similarly antagonized by MafK. These data suggest that Nrf2 plays an important role mediating basal activity of the ARE but that small Maf proteins are repressors and not activators of ARE-mediated transcription.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, not extracellular signal-regulated kinase, regulates activation of the antioxidant-responsive element in IMR-32 human neuroblastoma cells.

The antioxidant-responsive element (ARE) plays an important role in the induction of phase II detoxifying enzymes including NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1). We report herein that activation of the human NQO1-ARE (hNQO1-ARE) by tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) is mediated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase), not extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk1/2), in IMR-32 human neuroblastoma cells. Treatment with tBHQ significantly increased NQO1 protein without activation of Erk1/2. In addition, PD 98059 (a selective mitogen-activated kinase/Erk kinase inhibitor) did not inhibit hNQO1-ARE-luciferase expression or NQO1 protein induction by tBHQ. Pretreatment with LY 294002 (a selective PI3-kinase inhibitor), however, inhibited both hNQO1-ARE-luciferase expression and endogenous NQO1 protein induction. In support of a role for PI3-kinase in ARE activation we show that: 1) transfection of IMR-32 cells with constitutively active PI3-kinase selectively activated the ARE in a dose-dependent manner that was completely inhibited by treatment with LY 294002; 2) pretreatment of cells with the PI3-kinase inhibitors, LY 294002 and wortmannin, significantly decreased NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) nuclear translocation induced by tBHQ; and 3) ARE activation by constitutively active PI3-kinase was blocked completely by dominant negative Nrf2. Taken together, these data clearly show that ARE activation by tBHQ depends on PI3-kinase, which lies upstream of Nrf2.

Antioxidants↗

PubMed1994

Ellagic acid induces NAD(P)H:quinone reductase through activation of the antioxidant responsive element of the rat NAD(P)H:quinone reductase gene.

Induction of cellular detoxification enzymes can increase detoxification of carcinogens and reduce carcinogen-induced mutagenesis and tumorigenesis. To determine if the dietary anticarcinogen ellagic acid induced enzymes which detoxify xenobiotics and carcinogens, we examined the effect of ellagic acid on the expression of the phase II detoxification enzyme NAD(P)H:quinone reductase (QR). QR is induced by xenobiotics and antioxidants interacting with the xenobiotic responsive and antioxidant responsive elements of the 5' regulatory region of the QR gene. Ellagic acid is structurally related to the antioxidants which induce QR and we proposed that ellagic acid would induce QR expression through activation of the antioxidant responsive element of the QR gene. Rats fed ellagic acid demonstrated a 9-fold increase in hepatic and a 2-fold increase in pulmonary QR activity, associated with an 8-fold increase in hepatic QR mRNA. To determine if this increase in QR mRNA was due to activation of the antioxidant responsive element, transient transfection studies were performed with plasmid constructs containing various portions of the 5' regulatory region of the rat QR gene. These transfection studies confirmed that ellagic acid induces transcription of the QR gene and demonstrated that this induction is mediated through the antioxidant responsive element of the QR gene.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

The rat liver glutathione S-transferase Ya subunit gene: characterization of the binding properties of a nuclear protein from HepG2 cells that has high affinity for the antioxidant response element.

A nuclear protein from HepG2 cells (YABP) that binds the antioxidant response element (ARE), which is required for activation of the rat glutathione S-transferase (GST) Ya subunit gene by planar aromatic compounds and phenolic antioxidants, was further characterized by quantitative competition binding experiments and DNA mutational analysis. The apparent dissociation constant of the YABP-ARE complex was estimated as < or = 0.77 nM, suggesting that the YABP has very high affinity for the ARE. There is no difference in the affinity of the YABP for the ARE when HepG2 cells are treated with inducers that transcriptionally activate the GST Ya subunit gene. Quantitative competition binding analyses in conjunction with mutagenesis of the ARE revealed that an 11-nucleotide region in the 41-nucleotide ARE, 5'-GGTGACAAAGC-3', is responsible for binding to the YABP. Eight nucleotides of this core sequence are in close proximity to the YABP, indicating that there is a broader spectrum of protein contact points than those required for the transcriptional activation. van't Hoff analysis of effects of temperature on binding has revealed that the binding reaction is governed mainly by entropy changes, which could result from conformational changes in the YABP and/or the ARE upon the formation of the complex. In addition, the native molecular weight of the YABP was determined to be 74 300 using gel filtration chromatography. These data together with previous UV cross-linking data suggest that the YABP exists as a heterodimer.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Identification of a putative antioxidant response element in the 5'-flanking region of the human gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase heavy subunit gene.

We have cloned the human gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase heavy subunit gene (GCSh) from a P1 library and isolated a 5.5kb fragment (P1-GCS5') from the 5'-end of the P1 clone. P1-GCS5' has been sequenced from -1460 to +547. Multiple transcription start sites were identified by primer extension and S1 nuclease protection. Two start sites were identified by primer extension analysis within 23 bp (+1 and +10) of a consensus TATAAAA box; all sequences were numbered relative to the 5'-most of these two sites. Two additional major start sites were identified at -106 and +398. This latter site was the most prominent of all the initiation sites. In addition to a TATA box, the promoter contains a CCAAT box at -125 and GC boxes up- and down-stream of the TATAAAA. In addition, the first few hundred base pairs of the sequence are highly GC-rich (approximately 75%). This sequence also contains several Sp-1 binding sites, a consensus AP-1 site and several AP-1-like binding sites, as well as putative AP-2 sites. A consensus metal responsive element (MRE) was identified at position +198. Sequence analysis also identified a putative core (5'-TGACnnnGCA-3') antioxidant response element (ARE) at -862 to -853. As is typical of other AREs, a second AP-1-like sequence is located adjacent to the core sequence. These results suggest that GCSh gene expression in response to oxidative challenge may be regulated through an antioxidant response element similar to those recently detected in the promoter region of several Phase II enzymes.

Antioxidants↗

PubMed1998

The redox-sensitive human antioxidant responsive element induces gene expression under low oxygen conditions.

Transient transfection studies of human HepG2 and mouse Hepa hepatocarcinoma cells with a reporter gene construct regulated by a human antioxidant responsive element (ARE) from the NQO1 gene demonstrated that the element is responsive to low oxygen conditions. The antioxidant N-acetyl L-cysteine (NAC) strongly inhibited basal aerobic reporter gene activity in HepG2 cells without obviously affecting the hypoxic induction, as is consistent with ARE sensitivity to oxidative stress in aerobic cultures. Electrophoretic mobility shift (EMS) assays of nuclear extracts of HepG2 and Hepa cells lysed under aerobic or hypoxic conditions or after exposure to the phenolic compound 3-(2)-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA), showed specific and constitutive protein binding to the ARE under all of these conditions. Taken together, these findings show that the ARE can mediate gene expression in response to low oxygen conditions. Co-ordinately regulated expression of ARE-dependent genes, such as phase II detoxification enzymes, may be an important phenotype of solid tumors containing significant regions of pathophysiological hypoxia.

Acetylcysteine↗

PubMed2001

Nrf2-dependent activation of the antioxidant responsive element by tert-butylhydroquinone is independent of oxidative stress in IMR-32 human neuroblastoma cells.

The antioxidant responsive element (ARE) is a cis-acting regulatory element located in the 5'-flanking region of several genes encoding phase II detoxification enzymes, including NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1). We report here that activation of the NQO1 ARE by tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) is dependent on Nrf2 and not oxidative stress in IMR-32 human neuroblastoma cells. Overexpression of wild-type Nrf2 activated ARE in a dose-dependent manner, and ARE activation by tBHQ or diethyl maleate (DEM) was inhibited by dominant/negative Nrf2 not by dominant/negative c-Jun. According to our observation, the palindromic sequence (5' to the core) and the GC box in the ARE core sequence are essential for maximal inducibility by tBHQ or DEM. Overexpression of Nrf2 selectively activated wild-type ARE up to 24 h. In addition, a dramatic nuclear translocation of Nrf2 by tBHQ supports a role for Nrf2 in ARE activation. Although oxidative stress is hypothesized to be a major driving force for ARE activation, pretreatment of antioxidant or antioxidant enzyme did not block tBHQ-mediated ARE activation. In contrast, ARE activation by DEM was inhibited by antioxidants or catalase. These results suggest that ARE activation signals from tBHQ and DEM converge at Nrf2 transcription factor through independent mechanisms.

Antioxidants↗

PubMed1999

Keap1 represses nuclear activation of antioxidant responsive elements by Nrf2 through binding to the amino-terminal Neh2 domain.

Transcription factor Nrf2 is essential for the antioxidant responsive element (ARE)-mediated induction of phase II detoxifying and oxidative stress enzyme genes. Detailed analysis of differential Nrf2 activity displayed in transfected cell lines ultimately led to the identification of a new protein, which we named Keap1, that suppresses Nrf2 transcriptional activity by specific binding to its evolutionarily conserved amino-terminal regulatory domain. The closest homolog of Keap1 is a Drosophila actin-binding protein called Kelch, implying that Keap1 might be a Nrf2 cytoplasmic effector. We then showed that electrophilic agents antagonize Keap1 inhibition of Nrf2 activity in vivo, allowing Nrf2 to traverse from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and potentiate the ARE response. We postulate that Keap1 and Nrf2 constitute a crucial cellular sensor for oxidative stress, and together mediate a key step in the signaling pathway that leads to transcriptional activation by this novel Nrf2 nuclear shuttling mechanism. The activation of Nrf2 leads in turn to the induction of phase II enzyme and antioxidative stress genes in response to electrophiles and reactive oxygen species.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1994

Human antioxidant-response-element-mediated regulation of type 1 NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase gene expression. Effect of sulfhydryl modifying agents.

Human antioxidant-response element (hARE) containing two copies of the AP1/AP1-like elements arranged as inverse repeat is known to mediate basal and beta-naphthoflavone-induced transcription of the type 1 NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) gene. Band-shift assays revealed that beta-naphthoflavone increased binding of nuclear proteins at the hARE. Super shift assays identified Jun-D and c-Fos proteins in the band-shift complexes observed with control and beta-naphthoflavone-treated Hepa-1 nuclear extracts. Hepa-1 cells stably transformed with hARE-tk-chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) recombinant plasmid were used to demonstrate that, in addition to beta-naphthoflavone, a variety of antioxidants, tumor promoters and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) also increased expression of hARE-mediated CAT gene. beta-naphthoflavone induction of the CAT gene expression in Hepa-1 cells was found insensitive to inhibitors of protein kinase C and tyrosine kinases. However, binding of regulatory proteins at the hARE and the CAT gene expression in Hepa-1 cells were increased by dithiothreitol, 2-mercaptoethanol and diamide. Treatment of the Hepa-1 cells with N-ethylmaleimide reduced binding of proteins at the hARE and interfered with expression and beta-naphthoflavone induction of the CAT gene. These results suggested a role of sulfhydryl modification of hARE binding (Jun and Fos) proteins which mediate basal and induced expression of the NQO1 gene. We also report that in-vitro-translated products of the proto-oncogenes, Jun and Fos, bind to the hARE in band-shift assays. The incubation of Jun and Fos proteins with small amounts of nuclear extract from dimethylsulfoxide-treated (control) or beta-naphthoflavone treated Hepa-1 cells prior to band-shift assays increased the binding of Jun and Fos proteins to the hARE. Interestingly, the increase in binding of Jun and Fos proteins to the hARE was more prominent with beta-naphthoflavone-treated nuclear extract as compared to the control nuclear extract. In addition, incubation of control nuclear extract with beta-naphthoflavone, microsomes and NADPH increased the binding of Jun and Fos proteins to the hARE. Evidence from in vitro studies indicate the presence of unknown nuclear factor(s) that receive signals from metabolites of beta-naphthoflavone and modulate Jun and Fos binding to the AP1 site contained within the hARE.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

The antioxidant responsive element. Activation by oxidative stress and identification of the DNA consensus sequence required for functional activity.

We have characterized further the antioxidant responsive element (ARE) identified in the 5'-flanking region of the rat glutathione S-transferase Ya subunit gene and the NAD(P)H:quinone reductase gene by mutational and deletion analyses. Our data suggest that the sequence, 5'-puGTGACNNNGC-3' 3'-pyCACTGNNNCG-5' where N is any nucleotide, represents the core sequence of the ARE required for transcriptional activation by phenolic antioxidants and metabolizable planar aromatic compounds (e.g. beta-naphthoflavone and 3-methylcholanthrene). We also have found that the ARE is responsive to hydrogen peroxide and phenolic antioxidants that undergo redox cycling. These latter data suggest that the ARE is responsive to reactive oxygen species and thus may represent part of a signal transduction pathway that allow eukaryotic cells to sense and respond to oxidative stress.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Transcriptional regulation of a rat liver glutathione S-transferase Ya subunit gene. Analysis of the antioxidant response element and its activation by the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate.

Using transfection and gel retardation assays, we have characterized further the antioxidant response element (ARE) found in the 5'-flanking region of the rat glutathione S-transferase Ya subunit gene. The ARE core sequence (5'-GTGACAAAGC-3') is sufficient for transcriptional activation of the Ya subunit gene by metabolizable planar aromatic compounds, phenolic antioxidants, and hydrogen peroxide. When the ARE sequence is ligated to a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene and transfected into HepG2 cells, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity is modestly inducible by the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Since the ARE is responsive to TPA and shows some sequence similarity to an AP-1-binding site (Jun/Fos recognition motif), we have explored whether members of the Jun/Fos family of transcription factors might bind to the ARE. Using in vitro synthesized Jun and Fos, binding to the ARE could not be detected, whereas Jun/Fos binding to a classical AP-1-binding site, a TPA response element (TRE) from the human collagenase gene, could be demonstrated by gel retardation assays. If the 2 A nucleotides underlined in the ARE core sequence (5'-GTGACAAAGC-3') are changed to TC, the ARE sequence (ARE-TRE) becomes a high-affinity AP-1-binding site and retains xenobiotic inducibility. Removal of the -GC- dinucleotide at the 3'-end of the ARE or the ARE-TRE eliminates xenobiotic inducibility. However, the ARE-TRE construct without the -GC- dinucleotide is still a high-affinity AP-1 site and responsive to TPA. Taken together, our data suggest that the ARE is not a high-affinity binding site for the Jun/Fos heterodimer. Functionally, however, an AP-1-binding site can resemble an ARE in its response to various xenobiotics if a 3'-GC- dinucleotide is present.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Inducible expression of the gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase light subunit by t-butylhydroquinone in HepG2 cells is not dependent on an antioxidant-responsive element.

Mutation analysis of putative regulatory elements located in the 5'-flanking region of the gene encoding the regulatory subunit of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GLCLR) revealed that neither an antioxidant-responsive element (ARE) nor an activator protein-1 (AP-1) site regulates inducible expression by t-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ). The AP-1 site was found to modulate basal expression of GLCLR. A 42 bp region between nucleotides -303 and -344, not containing an ARE, was found to regulate inducible expression of GLCLR by tBHQ.

Antioxidants↗

PubMed1998

Alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes increase glutathione S-transferase mRNA and protein: correlation with activation of the antioxidant response element.

A series of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes was evaluated to determine if these compounds could mediate inducible expression of glutathione S-transferase (GST) through the 5'-flanking antioxidant response element (ARE). The ARE from rGST A1 was subcloned into a luciferase reporter construct and used to transiently transfect rat Clone 9 hepatoma cells. Transfected cells were treated with 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal (4-HNE), trans-2-hexenal (t-2-HE), 2-propenal (acrolein, 2-PE), and ethacrynic acid (EA), a control compound also containing an alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl moiety. Each compound was evaluated for cytotoxicity to construct dosing regimens in transfection studies. IC50 values for growth inhibition were measured using 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide. IC50 values in Clone 9 cells were: 4-HNE, 6.3 +/- 0.7 microM; t-2-HE, 16.0 +/- 0.7 microM; 2-PE, 2.2 +/- 0.4 microM; and EA, 38.0 +/- 1.6 microM. A dose-dependent increase in luciferase activity was observed in transfected cells with all four compounds tested, indicating that alpha, beta-unsaturated aldehydes function as direct activators of the ARE. To determine whether or not the observed promoter activation led to increased transcriptional and translational induction of GST, cells were treated with the various compounds and assayed for increases in GST mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity. Studies in Clone 9 cells revealed increased steady-state message for GST A1 and A4, increased GST A4-4 protein by Western blotting, and increased GST activity toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene in response to treatment with all four compounds evaluated. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that EA and certain alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes produced as a result of cellular membrane lipid peroxidation are activators of the ARE and efficient inducers of GST A1-1 and A4-4.

Acrolein↗

PubMed1997

An Nrf2/small Maf heterodimer mediates the induction of phase II detoxifying enzyme genes through antioxidant response elements.

The induction of phase II detoxifying enzymes is an important defense mechanism against intake of xenobiotics. While this group of enzymes is believed to be under the transcriptional control of antioxidant response elements (AREs), this contention is experimentally unconfirmed. Since the ARE resembles the binding sequence of erythroid transcription factor NF-E2, we investigated the possibility that the phase II enzyme genes might be regulated by transcription factors that also bind to the NF-E2 sequence. The expression profiles of a number of transcription factors suggest that an Nrf2/small Maf heterodimer is the most likely candidate to fulfill this role in vivo. To directly test these questions, we disrupted the murine nrf2 gene in vivo. While the expression of phase II enzymes (e.g., glutathione S-transferase and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase) was markedly induced by a phenolic antioxidant in vivo in both wild type and heterozygous mutant mice, the induction was largely eliminated in the liver and intestine of homozygous nrf2-mutant mice. Nrf2 was found to bind to the ARE with high affinity only as a heterodimer with a small Maf protein, suggesting that Nrf2/small Maf activates gene expression directly through the ARE. These results demonstrate that Nrf2 is essential for the transcriptional induction of phase II enzymes and the presence of a coordinate transcriptional regulatory mechanism for phase II enzyme genes. The nrf2-deficient mice may prove to be a very useful model for the in vivo analysis of chemical carcinogenesis and resistance to anti-cancer drugs.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Molecular basis for the contribution of the antioxidant responsive element to cancer chemoprevention.

This article provides an overview of the mechanisms by which cancer chemopreventive blocking agents increase the expression of detoxication and antioxidant genes. These agents all appear capable of transcriptionally activating a gene battery that includes NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase, aldo-keto reductases, glutathione S-transferases, gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase, glutathione synthetase and heme oxygenase. Gene induction occurs through the antioxidant responsive element (ARE), a process that is dependent on the Nuclear Factor-Erythroid 2p45-related factors, Nrf1 and Nrf2. Under basal conditions, these basic region leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors are located in the cytoplasm of the cell bound to Keap1, and upon challenge with inducing agents, they are released from Keap1 and translocate to the nucleus. Within the nucleus, Nrf1 and Nrf2 are recruited to the ARE as heterodimers with either small Maf proteins, FosB, c-Jun, JunD, activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) or ATF4. The role of protein kinases in transducing chemical stress signals to the bZIP factors that affect gene induction through the ARE is discussed.

Animals↗