Oncogenic activation of Nrf2 by specific knockout of Nrf1α that acts as a dominant tumor repressor

Liver-specific knockout of Nrf1 in mice leads to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis with dyslipidemia, and its deterioration results in spontaneous hepatoma, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. A similar pathological model is herein reconstructed by using human Nrf1-specific knockout cell lines. We demonstrated that a marked increase of the inflammation marker COX2 in Nrf1-/- cells. Loss of Nrf1 leads to hyperactivation of Nrf2, which results from substantial decreases in both Keap1 and PTEN in Nrf1-/- cells. Further investigation of xenograft mice showed that malignant growth of Nrf1-/--derived tumor is almost abolished by silencing Nrf2, while Nrf1+/+-tumor is markedly repressed by inactive Nrf2-/-{Delta}TA, but unaffected by a priori constitutive activator of caNrf2{Delta}N. Mechanistic studies unraveled there exist opposing and unifying inter-regulatory cross-talks between Nrf1 and Nrf2. Collectively, Nrf1 manifests a dominant tumor-suppressive effect by confining Nrf2 oncogenicity, while Nrf2 can directly activate the transcriptional expression of Nrf1 to form a negative feedback loop.\n\nHIGHLIGHTSO_LIOpposing and unifying inter-regulatory cross-talks between Nrf1 and Nrf2\nC_LIO_LIMalignant growth of Nrf1-/--derived tumor is prevented by silencing Nrf2\nC_LIO_LIHyper-activation of Nrf2 by Nrf1-/- results from decreased Keap1 and PTEN\nC_LIO_LINrf1+/+-tumor is repressed by Nrf2-/-{Delta}TA, but unaltered by its active caNrf2{Delta}N\nC_LI