Evidence mapPaperPMID 40549063Full record

ReviewMolecular biology reports2025

Interplay between Nrf2 and ROS in regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition: implications for cancer metastasis and therapy.

Yi Xu, Shuning Hu, Rui Chen, Sheng Xu, Guangyang Yu, Lili Ji

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Molecular biology reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Yi Xu *Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Microenvironment and Translational Cancer Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China.
Shuning Hu *Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Microenvironment and Translational Cancer Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China.
Rui ChenDepartment of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Microenvironment and Translational Cancer Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China.
Sheng XuDepartment of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Microenvironment and Translational Cancer Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China.
Guangyang YuDepartment of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Microenvironment and Translational Cancer Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China.
Lili JiDepartment of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Microenvironment and Translational Cancer Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China. liliji79@ntu.edu.cn.

Funding

Science and Technology Planning Project of Nantong JC2019138
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), including developmental (Type I), wound healing (Type II), and pathological (Type III) subtypes, constitutes a critical driver of cancer metastasis. This review analyzes the redox interplay between nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in EMT regulation and cancer progression. Nrf2 maintains redox homeostasis through antioxidant gene activation while paradoxically promoting tumor survival and drug resistance via Keap1-dependent degradation and phosphorylation-mediated stabilization. ROS generated through mitochondrial and NADPH oxidase pathways exhibit dual functionality: moderate levels activate EMT transcription factors to drive metastasis and cancer stem cells (CSCs) plasticity, whereas excessive ROS induce apoptosis and ferroptosis. While Nrf2 typically suppresses EMT through ROS neutralization and epithelial integrity preservation, chronic Nrf2 activation in CSCs paradoxically sustains metastatic potential through redox buffering. This synthesis delineates the spatiotemporal regulation of Nrf2-ROS-EMT networks across tumor microenvironments, emphasizing therapeutic opportunities through redox balance modulation and pathway-specific Nrf2 inhibition in advanced malignancies.

Indexed as

Epithelial-Mesenchymal TransitionNeoplasmsNF-E2-Related Factor 2Reactive Oxygen SpeciesAnimalsGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansNeoplasm MetastasisNeoplastic Stem CellsOxidation-ReductionSignal TransductionTumor MicroenvironmentNFE2L2 protein, humanNF-E2-Related Factor 2Reactive Oxygen SpeciesCancer stem cellsEpithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)Nrf2Oxidative stressROS

Identifiers

PMID40549063
PMCPMC12185618

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.