Nuclear factor kappa B: an oxidative stress-responsive transcription factor of eukaryotic cells (a review).
NF-kappa B is a multiprotein complex that can activate a great variety of genes involved in early defence reactions of higher organisms. In nonstimulated cells, NF-kappa B resides in the cytoplasm in an inactive complex with the inhibitor I kappa B. Pathogenic stimuli cause release of I kappa B and allow NF-kappa B to enter the nucleus, bind to DNA control elements and, thereby, induce the synthesis of mRNA. A puzzling feature of NF-kappa B is that its activation is triggered by a great variety of agents. These include the cytokines interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor, viruses, double-stranded RNA, endotoxins, phorbol esters, UV light and ionizing radiation. We recently found that also low concentrations of H2O2 activate NF-kappa B and that various antioxidants prevent the induction by H2O2. Subsequent analysis revealed that antioxidants not only suppress the activation of NF-kappa B by H2O2 but by all other inducers tested so far. In this review, we will discuss the evidences that NF-kappa B is an oxidative stress-responsive transcription factor of higher eukaryotic cells.
Schreck
R
R
Laboratory for Molecular Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Martinsried, Germany.
Albermann
K
K
Baeuerle
P A
PA
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001483:Base Sequence; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
D000975:Antioxidants; D016328:NF-kappa B; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide