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. 2022 Jun 3;11(6):1112. doi: 10.3390/antiox11061112

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2. (A) In the OFF state, the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is kept at a basal activity level by Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1). In addition, the inhibition of Akt induces the upregulation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β), promoting the phosphorylation and degradation of Nrf2. Both mechanisms lead to Nrf2 degradation via the proteasome. (B) In the ON state, electrophiles and ROS modify the cysteine residues of Keap1, promoting its degradation via proteasome or via sequestosome (p62). The latter induces the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 to interact with the musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma (maf) proteins and bind to antioxidant response elements (AREs), triggering the expression of NADPH quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC), and glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier (GCLM). The figure was created using BioRender.