TCF11 at the crossroads of oxidative stress and the ubiquitin proteasome system.

It is well established that mutual relations exist between the oxidative status of a cell and the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS). Oxidation of proteins leads to misfolding and thus claims a higher proteolytic activity of the UPS to dispose these proteins. Any disturbance of the proteotoxic-protection machinery may result in protein aggregation and thus in disorders like neurodegenerative diseases or cancer. In this article we describe the molecular mechanisms regulating the ubiquitin proteasome system, thereby focussing on Nrf2 as well as on the recently identified transcription factor (TF) TCF11. In response to proteasome inhibition TCF11 plays a central role in upregulating the proteasome system via an ERAD-dependent feedback loop.