Hatice Segmen

By Mustafa Yildiz and Hatice Segmen

Nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) serves as a “main regulator” in response to internal or external cell stressors through coordinated induction of a wide range of cytoprotective genes. In cancer cells, Nrf2 increases expression of cytoprotective genes and, as a result, promotes proliferation through inhibition of apoptosis and metabolic reprogramming. Therefore, the activation of Nrf2 is an important regulator for prevention of cancer triggered by stresses and toxins. Defense system is activated by cellular pathways to ensure that response to stresses and toxins is sufficient for needs of the body. Nrf2 is a regulator of genes mediated by antioxidant response elements. Nrf2 is a pleiotropic gene that represents highly researched strategy in cancers. During recent decades, emerging evidence shows that Nrf2 is generally activated in many types of cancer by many mechanisms. Nrf2 has been showed to contribute to chemoresistance of cancer cells, as well as carcinogenesis due to inflammation, in recent studies. This review provides an overview of current mechanisms of regulation of Nrf2 in normal cells and its dual effects in cancer. This chapter aims to rationalize these double roles by criticizing dependence of Nrf2 functions and methods behind these contradictory data.

Part of the book: Molecular Mechanisms in Cancer

By Metin Budak and Hatice Segmen

Cancer is the name given to all malignant tumors, the main reason for which is uncontrolled growth, and the tumor, which has become a mass as a result of uncontrolled cell proliferation, also attacks the surrounding cells and envelops the whole body (metastasis) in the later stages of the disease. Although cancer is an important health problem, it is not a common disease in childhood. On the other hand, statistics show that cancer affects one in three adults, causes up to 20% of all deaths, and covers about 10% of treatment costs in developed countries. Although it is known that cancer develops under the influence of genetic and environmental factors, environmental factors are more prominent in the formation of some types of cancer. Breast cancer is one of the cancer types known to have tumor suppressor genes in its etiology. These tumor suppressor genes are BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Studies have shown that these two genes are particularly effective in the development of familial breast cancers. These types of cancers occur much earlier than non-familial cancers. The research, two genes; It has shown that it is especially effective in the development of familial breast cancers.

Part of the book: Molecular Mechanisms in Cancer