The Nuclear Factor NF-κB Pathway in Inflammation
- Inflammation Biology Group, Centre d’Immunologie Marseille-Luminy, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Case 906, 13288 Marseille, France
- Correspondence: lawrence{at}ciml.univ-mrs.fr
Abstract
The nuclear factor NF-κB pathway has long been considered a prototypical proinflammatory signaling pathway, largely based on the role of NF-κB in the expression of proinflammatory genes including cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules. In this article, we describe how genetic evidence in mice has revealed complex roles for the NF-κB in inflammation that suggest both pro- and anti-inflammatory roles for this pathway. NF-κB has long been considered the “holy grail” as a target for new anti-inflammatory drugs; however, these recent studies suggest this pathway may prove a difficult target in the treatment of chronic disease. In this article, we discuss the role of NF-κB in inflammation in light of these recent studies.
Footnotes
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Editors: Louis M. Staudt and Michael Karin
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Additional Perspectives on NF-κB available at www.cshperspectives.org
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