Tohoku university school of medicine

1) Nrf2-mediated protection against neuronal degeneration.

2) Chemosensitizing effect of the repression of Nrf2 on multidrug-resistant cancer. Our lab is focusing on these two areas for drug discovery based on Nrf2 biology.

1)Nrf1 and Nrf2 Play Distinct Roles in Activation of Antioxidant Response Element-dependent Genes Journal of Biological Chemistry 283, 33554-33562 2008.2

2)Cancer related mutations in NRF2 impair its recognition by Keap1-Cul3 E3 ligase and promote malignancy. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105, 13568-13573 2008.8

3)Genetic Evidence that Small Maf Proteins Are Essential for the Activation of Antioxidant Response Element-Dependent Genes Journal of Biological Chemistry 283, 33554-33562 2005.11

4)Small Maf Compound Mutants Display Central Nervous System Neuronal Degeneration, Aberrant Transcription, and Bach Protein Mislocalization Coincident with Myoclonus and Abnormal Startle Response Molecular and Cellular Biology 25, 8044-8051 2003.2

Transcription factor, Neuroprotection