title: Constitutive NF-kappa B activation, enhanced granulopoiesis, and neonatal lethality in I kappa B alpha-deficient mice.
abstract: Transcription factors belonging to the NF-kappa B family are controlled by inhibitory I kappa B proteins, mainly I kappa B alpha and I kappa B beta. Apparently normal at birth, I kappa B alpha-/- mice exhibit severe runting, skin defects, and extensive granulopoiesis postnatally, typically dying by 8 days. Hematopoietic tissues from these mice display elevated levels of both nuclear NF-kappa B and mRNAs of some, but not all, genes thought to be regulated by NF-kappa B. NF-kappa B elevation results in these phenotypic abnormalities because mice lacking both I kappa B alpha and the p50 subunit of NF-kappa B show a dramatically delayed onset of abnormalities. In contrast to hematopoietic cells, I kappa B alpha-/- embryonic fibroblasts show minimal constitutive NF-kappa B, as well as normal signal-dependent NF-kappa B activation that is concomitant with I kappa B beta degradation. Our results indicate that I kappa b beta, but not I kappa B alpha, is required for the signal-dependent activation of NF-kappa B in fibroblasts. However, I kappa B alpha is required for the postinduction repression of NF-kappa B in fibroblasts. These results define distinct roles for the two forms of I kappa B and demonstrate the necessity for stringent control of NF-kappa B.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139, USA.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Beg
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Bronson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baltimore
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D052002:NF-kappa B p50 Subunit; D010641:Phenotype; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D052002:NF-kappa B p50 Subunit; C000606204:NFKBIA protein, human; C000606205:Nfkbia protein, mouse; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha