Tuning up inflammation: how DNA sequence and chromatin organization control the induction of inflammatory genes by NF-kappaB.
NF-kappaB is a collective name given to a family of ubiquitous transcription factors (TFs) activated in response to inflammatory stimuli and environmental stressors, and required for the activation of many crucial inflammatory and immune response genes. NF-kappaB is activated by degradation of its cytoplasmic anchors, the IkappaBs, and subsequent nuclear translocation and accumulation. Once entered in the nucleus NF-kappaB activates transcription of hundreds of genes; however, each inflammatory gene must be expressed and turned off with peculiar kinetics that suit its specific function. Chromatin organization plays a major role in controlling the kinetics of NF-kappaB recruitment to target genes and it represents an integration point mediating TF cooperativity.
Natoli
Gioacchino
G
Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy. gioacchino.natoli@ifom-ieo-campus.it
D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D019281:Dimerization; D016678:Genome; D007249:Inflammation / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051379:Mice; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000502:physiology*; D011487:Protein Conformation
D002843:Chromatin; D016328:NF-kappa B; D004247:DNA