NRF2 Modulates WNT Signaling Pathway to Enhance Photodynamic Therapy Resistance in Oral Leukoplakia

ABSTRACT: Oral leukoplakia (OLK) is a common potentially malignant oral disorder with high risk of malignant transformation. While photodynamic therapy (PDT) offers a minimally invasive treatment for OLK, some patients showed resistance to PDT and the mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to identify key regulatory pathways driving PDT resistance in OLK. Single-cell RNA sequencing on OLK samples (three PDT-sensitive, three PDT-resistant) revealed significant NRF2 upregulation in resistant tissues. Validation across two independent cohorts (n = 117) confirmed that p-NRF2 levels were significantly elevated in PDT-resistant cases, exhibiting strong predictive power for treatment response (AUC > 0.8). Mechanistically, NRF2 promotes CTNNB1 transcription, activates WNT signaling, modulates reactiv

SUBMITTER: Tiantian Xu 

PROVIDER: S-SCDT-10_1038-S44321-025-00256-W | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other