NRF2: Master regulator of cellular homeostasis and therapeutic vulnerability in cancer

The transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) is best known for its regulation of the antioxidant response. However, its mediation of other pathways, including key aspects of metabolic and protein homeostasis, has continued to emerge. Accompanying this emergence is an evolved understanding that NRF2 induction across different disease contexts can be beneficial or detrimental depending on the length of activation. This has played an important role in progressing the field forward, as inducing NRF2 is not always the best course of action, and inhibition has gained traction as a viable strategy for treating cancer and other pathologies where NRF2 is chronically active. Despite its…