NFE2L2 and lung cancer: In human lung cancer cells, higher levels of DNA modifications were associated with lower glutathione peroxidase activity and reduced gene expression of glutathione peroxidase in normal bronchial epithelial cells, and this has been considered to be a risk factor for the development of lung cancer in cigarette smokers.[7,8] Nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) activates cellular rescue pathways against oxidative injury.