Nuclear factor-κB and the hepatic inflammation-fibrosis-cancer axis

Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) is a transcriptional regulator of genes involved in immunity, inflammatory response, cell fate, and function. Recent attention has focused on the pathophysiological role of NF-kappa B in the diseased liver. In vivo studies using rodent models of liver disease and cell-targeted perturbation of NF-kappa B activity have revealed complex and multicellular functions in hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma-a process we have termed the inflammation-fibrosis-cancer axis. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge and provides insight into the vast complexity of the hepatic NF-kappa B signaling system, which should provide a rich source of new therapeutic targets.