Nrf2 orchestrates fuel partitioning for cell proliferation

Why upregulation of the transcription factor Nrf2 increases tumor cell proliferation is unclear. Mitsuishi et al. (2012) now provide evidence that Nrf2 augments purine nucleotide synthesis, thus supporting tissue hypertrophy. This change in cellular metabolism requires loss of Nrf2 repression by Keap1 as well as costimulation via the PI3K-Akt pathway