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NF-kB |
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| NF-κB (Nuclear Factor kappa B) is a nuclear transcription factor found in all cell types and is involved in cellular responses to stimuli such as stress, cytokines, free radicals, ultraviolet irradiation, and bacterial or viral antigens. NF-κB plays a key role in regulating the immune response to infection. Consistent with this role, incorrect regulation of NF-κB has been linked to cancer, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, septic shock, viral infection and improper immune development. There are five members in the NF-κB family: NF-κB1, NF-κB2, RelA (also named p65), RelB, and c-Rel.
The most common form of NF-κB is the p50/RelA heterodimer, although other forms of NF-κB dimers, such as p50/p50, p52/p52, p52/RelA, p50/c-Rel, c-Rel/c-Rel, p52/RelB, and p50/RelB, have also been identified in some types of cells.
The primary role of NF-κB is to maintain normal cellular functions that range from cell-to-cell communication to cell motility, cell cycle progression, and cell lineage development. The activity of NF-κB is tightly regulated by interaction with inhibitory IκB proteins. |
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1) Campbell KJ and Perkins ND, 2004, Cell Cycle. 3(7):869-872.
2) Perkins ND, 2004, Trends Cell Biol. 14(2):64-69.
3) Gilmore TD, 1999, Oncogene. 18(49):6842-6844.
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