(Press-News.org) Cancer cells have alteration in metabolic pathways as a result of oncogenes that promote tumor growth. NRF2 (nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-related factor 2) works as a "master gene" that turns on stress response by increasing numerous antioxidants and pollutant-detoxifying genes to protect the lungs from variety of air pollutants such as diesel exhaust and cigarette smoke. However, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and others have found for the first time that NRF2 signaling also plays a role in the growth of tumor cells by altering metabolic pathways. The study is published in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
"Previously, we had reported that lung cancer cells, due to mutation in inhibitors of NRF2, hijack the stress response pathway to cause chemoresistance," said Shyam Biswal, PhD, lead investigator of the study and professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. "With our latest study, we show how the NRF2 pathway reprograms glucose metabolism, leading to increased energy production and tumor cell proliferation. A better understanding of this process could lead to potential cancer treatments."
The Johns Hopkins study demonstrated an important and previously unrecognized role for the NRF2 transcription factor in regulating cell metabolism. Specifically, NRF2 regulates genes miR-1 and miR-206 to "reprogram" glucose metabolism through PPP (pentose phosphate pathway) and the TCA (tricarboxylic acid) cycle, and fatty acid synthesis. The study demonstrated that these enzyme pathways, working together in specific patterns, stimulated tumor growth. The researchers validated their findings through a series of in vitro experiments and studies involving mice.
"Although Nrf2 has been extensively studied as a target for chemoprevention, recent work from our group and others have highlighted the idea of developing inhibitors of Nrf2 to inhibit cancer " said Anju Singh, PhD, lead author of the study and assistant scientist in the Bloomberg School's Department of Environmental Health Sciences. Using an integrated genomics and 13C-based metabolic flux system wide association analysis, we demonstrate that Nrf2 modulates glucose flux through PPP and TCA cycles in cancer cells. Biswal concludes that "This study reinforces the idea that targeting Nrf2 with small molecule inhibitors will starve the cancer cells by affecting metabolic pathways as well as decrease antioxidants and detoxification genes to intervene in therapeutic resistance." Biswal's group has been working with the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences at NIH to develop Nrf2 inhibitors for cancer therapy.
###
"Transcription factor NRF2 regulated miR-1 and miR-206 to drive tumorigenesis" The study involved laboratories from the Johns Hopkins Center for Cancer Research, the National Cancer Institute, the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, UCLA and the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Funding for the research was provided by the National Institutes of Health grant, National Cancer Institute grants RO1 CA140492, P50 CA058184, P30CA006973 and National Institute of Environmental Sciences P30ES03819 and clinical innovator award from the Flight Attendants Medical Research Institute.
Hijacking stress response in cancer
Scientists determine novel regulation of metabolic pathways in cancer
2013-07-02
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Dissecting the distinctive walk of disease
2013-07-02
PITTSBURGH -- Older adults diagnosed with brain disorders such as Parkinson's disease often feel a loss of independence because of their lack of mobility and difficulty walking. To better understand and improve these mobility issues—and detect them sooner—a University of Pittsburgh multidisciplinary research team is working toward building a more advanced motion test that addresses a wider range of walking patterns and movements.
In a recent issue of IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, researchers from Pitt's Swanson School of Engineering, ...
NASA sees tropical storm dalila weaken, new low pressure area form
2013-07-02
NOAA's GOES-15 satellite captured an infrared image of the Eastern Pacific Ocean during the pre-dawn hours on July 2 and noticed Tropical Storm Dalila weakening near the southwestern Mexico coast, while further southwest a new tropical low pressure area called System 97E, had formed.
Dalila's maximum sustained winds appeared to peak on July 1 at 11 p.m. EDT when they hit 70 mph (110 kph). By 5 a.m. EDT on July 2, Dalila's maximum sustained winds dropped to 65 mph (100 kph). Dalila was also moving away from the southwestern coast of Mexico and headed into the open waters ...
Don't judge by the looks: Molecular analysis reveals a new species of white toothed shrew
2013-07-02
The white toothed shrew genus Crocidura is known as the largest mammal genus, with more than 180 species distributed around the world. A recent genetic analysis of the white toothed shrew fauna of Vietnam revealed the misinterpretations of previous morphological studies of the species, including the description of a new species of these very small mammals. The study was published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
Describing new mammal species is an unusual event nowadays when mammal fauna has been by and large already thoroughly studied by zoologists during the previous ...
High nitrogen dioxide levels from Arizona's Yarnell Hill Fire
2013-07-02
This June 29, 2013 image from the OMI, or Ozone Monitoring Instrument aboard NASA's Aura satellite shows nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in Arizona pertaining to three large fires. The highest levels of NO2, which is produced by combustion, were from the Yarnell Hill fire (dark red and brown). NO2 concentration is given as the number of molecules in a cubic centimeter. The highest NO2 concentration values (8-9 x 10^15) indicated that this strong fire was burning a large amount of combustible material and thus generating a large amount of NO2 in a small area.
The image was ...
AGU journal highlights -- 2 July 2013
2013-07-02
The following highlights summarize research papers that have been recently
published in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL) and Journal of Geophysical
Research-Solid Earth (JGR-B).
In this release:
Past decade saw unprecedented warming in the deep ocean
Hurricanes could increase over western Europe as climate warms
Space traffic may be cause of increase in polar mesospheric clouds
Tropical storm Sandy was a one-in-700 year event
German records from 1920s show long-term ocean warming
Identifying slow slip events with GNSS
Anyone may read the scientific ...
Weekly yoga class yields similar lower back pain relief as 2 classes
2013-07-02
(Boston) – Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) have found that a weekly yoga class provided similar lower back pain relief and reduced the need for pain medication as twice weekly classes in lower income minority patients. The results of the study indicate that patients interested in trying yoga for lower back pain could benefit from attending a medically appropriate weekly yoga class.
The study, published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, was led by first author Robert Saper, MD, MPH, associate ...
Greenhouse gas likely altering ocean foodchain
2013-07-02
Climate change may be weeding out the bacteria that form the base of the ocean's food chain, selecting certain strains for survival, according to a new study.
In climate change, as in everything, there are winners and losers. As atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and temperature rise globally, scientists increasingly want to know which organisms will thrive and which will perish in the environment of tomorrow.
The answer to this question for nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria (bacteria that obtain energy through photosynthesis, or "blue-green algae") turns out to have implications ...
23andMe and ALSPAC identify 16 new genetic associations for pollen, dust-mite and cat allergies
2013-07-02
Mountain View, Calif. – The largest genome-wide association study ever conducted on common allergies, including pollen, dust-mite and cat allergies, has identified 16 new genetic associations related to the condition. The study, conducted in collaboration between 23andMe, the leading personal genetics company, and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), examined data for more than 53,000 individuals. The study also identified eight genetic variations for allergies that have previously been associated with asthma. Genes implicated in the study highlight ...
NASA sees Tropical Storm Rumbia hit China with heavy rainfall
2013-07-02
VIDEO:
This NASA TRMM satellite 3-D flyby of tropical storm Rumbia showed that the thunderstorms near the center of circulation were below 13 km (~8.1 miles). Rainfall was occurring at...
Click here for more information.
Typhoon Rumbia had weakened to a tropical storm and moved over southern China when NASA's TRMM satellite flew above on July 2, 2013 at 0316 UTC and measured its rainfall rates.
An analysis of rainfall from TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation (PR) ...
More Americans want government to stay out of international affairs
2013-07-02
CORVALLIS, Ore. – The number of Americans wanting their government to stay out of international affairs is higher than it has been since the Vietnam War, according to a new analysis.
In an article published this week in Orbis: A Journal of World Affairs, Oregon State University historian Christopher McKnight Nichols notes that doubts about American involvement abroad are on the rise, up 10 percent in a decade. He connects current reluctance on the part of many Americans to get involved militarily and politically with foreign nations to a long-standing tradition in U.S. ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Capturability distinction analysis of continuous and pulsed guidance laws
CHEST expands Bridging Specialties Initiative to include NTM disease and bronchiectasis on World Bronchiectasis Day
Exposure to air pollution may cause heart damage
SwRI, UTSA selected by NASA to test electrolyzer technology aboard parabolic flight
Prebiotics might be a factor in preventing or treating issues caused by low brain GABA
Youngest in class at higher risk of mental health problems
American Heart Association announces new volunteer leaders for 2025-26
Gut microbiota analysis can help catch gestational diabetes
FAU’s Paulina DeVito awarded prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Champions for change – Paid time off initiative just made clinical trials participation easier
Fentanyl detection through packaging
Prof. Eran Meshorer elected to EMBO for pioneering work in epigenetics
New 3D glacier visualizations provide insights into a hotter Earth
Creativity across disciplines
Consequences of low Antarctic sea ice
Hear here: How loudness and acoustic cues help us judge where a speaker is facing
A unique method of rare-earth recycling can strengthen the raw material independence of Europe and America
Epilepsy self-management program shows promise to control seizures, improve mood and quality of life
Fat may play an important role in brain metabolism
New study finds no lasting impact of pandemic pet ownership on human well-being
New insights on genetic damage of some chemotherapies could guide future treatments with less harmful side effects
Gut microbes could protect us from toxic ‘forever chemicals’
Novel modelling links sea ice loss to Antarctic ice shelf calving events
Scientists can tell how fast you're aging from a single brain scan
U.S. uterine cancer incidence and mortality rates expected to significantly increase by 2050
Public take the lead in discovery of new exploding star
What are they vaping? Study reveals alarming surge in adolescent vaping of THC, CBD, and synthetic cannabinoids
ECMWF - delivering forecasts over 10 times faster and cutting energy usage by 1000
Brazilian neuroscientist reveals how viral infections transform the brain through microscopic detective work
Turning social fragmentation into action through discovering relatedness
[Press-News.org] Hijacking stress response in cancerScientists determine novel regulation of metabolic pathways in cancer