KEAP1 and neurodegenerative disease: And the Nrf2 activators have become a potential therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases (35) Under stress conditions, Nrf2 is released from Keap1 repression, translocates to the nucleus, where it interacts with anti-oxidant response elements (ARE) to drive the endogenous anti-oxidant system, and promotes the expression of cytoprotective genes to restore the redox balance in cells and resist oxidative stress damage (36, 37).