IkappaB kinases: key regulators of the NF-kappaB pathway

The nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB pathway is important for the expression of a wide variety of genes that are involved in the control of the host immune and inflammatory response, and in the regulation of cellular proliferation and survival. The constitutive activation of this pathway is associated with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, in addition to atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, cancer and diabetes. One of the key steps in activating the NF-kappaB pathway is the stimulation of the IkappaB (inhibitor of kappaB) kinases. Recent data indicate that these kinases activate the NF-kappaB pathway through distinct steps that are operative in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. A better understanding of the mechanisms that activate this pathway provides the potential for defining new therapeutic targets that might prevent the aberrant activation of NF-kappaB in a variety of human diseases.     

NF-κB与肿瘤发生及药物筛选

NF-κB是一类能特异性地识别结合DNA的Rel类蛋白质二聚体转录因子。在静息细胞中 ,NF-κB与抑制性蛋白IκBs结合形成复合物 ,并被滞留于细胞质中而处于非活化状态 ;当细胞受到各种胞内外刺激时 ,IκBs被迅速地降解 ,NF-κB得以释放并进入细胞核 ,从而发挥其转录调节功能。NF-κB通过调控众多靶基因的转录表达而在免疫、炎症反应、细胞增殖与凋亡及肿瘤发生等许多生理学过程中发挥重要作用。介绍了NF-κB活化的调控机制 ,并对NF-κB信号通路在肿瘤发生等相关过程及其在药物筛选中的作用进行了探讨。