The NF-kappaB activation pathways, emerging molecular targets for cancer prevention and therapy.
BACKGROUND
Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) is activated by a variety of cancer-promoting agents. The reciprocal activation between NF-kappaB and inflammatory cytokines makes NF-kappaB important for inflammation-associated cancer development. Both the constitutive and anticancer therapeutic-induced NF-kappaB activation blunts the anticancer activities of the therapy. Elucidating the roles of NF-kappaB in cancer facilitates developing approaches for cancer prevention and therapy.


METHODS
By searching PubMed, we summarize the progress of studies on NF-kappaB in carcinogenesis and cancer cells' drug resistance in recent 10 years.


RESULTS
The mechanisms by which NF-kappaB activation pathways are activated; the roles and mechanisms of NF-kappaB in cell survival and proliferation, and in carcinogenesis and cancer cells' response to therapy; recent development of NF-kappaB-modulating means and their application in cancer prevention and therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
NF-kappaB is involved in cancer development, modulating NF-kappaB activation pathways has important implications in cancer prevention and therapy. Due to the complexity of NF-kappaB roles in different cancers, careful evaluation of NF-kappaB's in each cancer type is crucial in this regard. More cancer cell-specific NF-kappaB inhibiting means are desired for improving anticancer efficacy and reducing systemic toxicity.
Lin
Yong
Y
Molecular Biology and Lung Cancer Program, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA. ylin@lrri.org
Bai
Lang
L
Chen
Wenjie
W
Xu
Shanling
S
D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001711:Biotransformation / Q000187:drug effects; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / Q000187:drug effects; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D016328:NF-kappa B; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex