Nuclear factor-kB activation: From bench to bedside

Nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) is a proinflammatory transcription factor that has emerged as an important player in the development and progression of malignant cancers. NF-kB targets genes that promote tumor cell proliferation, survival, metastasis, inflammation, invasion, and angiogenesis. Constitutive or aberrant activation of NF-kB is frequently encountered in many human tumors and is associated with a resistant phenotype and poor prognosis. The mechanism of such persistent NF-kB activation is not clear but may involve defects in signaling pathways, mutations, or chromosomal rearrangements. Suppression of constitutive NF-kB activation inhibits the oncogenic potential of transformed cells and thus makes NF-kB an interesting new therapeutic target in cancer.