Reactive oxygen species mediate crosstalk between NF-κB and JNK

The activation of NF-kappa B inhibits apoptosis via a mechanism involving upregulation of various antiapoptotic genes, such as cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP), Bcl-x(L), A1/Bfl-1, and X chromosome- liked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP). In contrast, the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) promotes apoptosis in a manner that is dependent on the cell type and the context of the stimulus. Recent studies have indicated that one of the antiapoptotic functions of NF-kappa B is to downregulate JNK activation. Further studies have also revealed that NF-kappa B inhibits JNK activation by suppressing accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this review, we will focus on the signaling crosstalk between the NF-kappa B and JNK cascades via ROS.