Concurrent regulation of the transcription factors Nrf2 and ATF4 mediates the enhancement of glutathione levels by the flavonoid fisetin

Glutathione (GSH) and GSH-associated metabolism provide the major line of defense for the protection of cells from various forms of toxic stress. GSH also plays a key role in regulating the intracellular redox environment. Thus, maintenance of GSH levels is developing into an important therapeutic objective for the treatment of a variety of diseases. Among the transcription factors that play critical roles in GSH metabolism are NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4). Thus, compounds that can upregulate these transcription factors may be particularly useful as treatment options through their effects on GSH metabolism. We previously showed that the flavonoid fisetin not only increases basal levels of GSH but also maintains GSH levels under oxidative stress conditions. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects have remained unknown until now. Here we show that fisetin rapidly increases the levels of both Nrf2 and ATF4 as well as Nrf2- and ATF4-dependent gene transcription via distinct mechanisms. Although fisetin greatly increases the stability of both Nrf2 and ATF4, only the effect on ATF4 is dependent on protein kinase activity. Using siRNA we found that ATF4, but not Nrf2, is important for fisetin's ability to increase GSH levels under basal conditions whereas both ATF4 and Nrf2 appear to cooperate to increase GSH levels under oxidative stress conditions. Based upon these results, we hypothesize that compounds able to increase GSH levels via multiple mechanisms, such as fisetin, will be particularly effective for maintaining GSH levels under a variety of different stresses.