NF-κB Signaling Pathway

Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is a class of transcription factors that are ubiquitous in various cell types in living organisms. In 1986, Sen and Baltimoer first detected a nuclear protein factor that specifically bound to the immunoglobulin κ light chain gene enhancer κB sequence (GCGACTTTC) from mature B lymphocyte nuclear extract, called NF-κB. It is widely present in eukaryotic cells and can specifically bind to specific sites of various cellular gene promoters or enhancer sequences to promote transcription and expression. It is also closely related to important pathophysiological processes such as inflammatory response, immune response and cell proliferation, transformation and apoptosis.