NF-KB , a Network Hub Controlling Immunity, Inflammation, and Cancer

Book excerpt: NF-kB is a critical signaling molecule in the immune system that regulates cell survival and cell death, lymphocyte responses, and inflammation. Acting as a transcription factor that can receive several inputs, it coordinates distinct gene expression programs in response to a wide variety of stimuli. Written and edited by experts in the field, this collection from Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology includes contributions covering the structure of NF-kB, its DNA-binding activity and specificity, the role of the inhibitor I-kB, and canonical and alternative mechanisms of NF-kB activation. The contributors examine the physiological role of NF-kB in immune cells, as well as its functions in other tissues, such as the nervous system. They also discuss work indicating that NF-kB represents a critical link between inflammation and cancer. Including clinical perspectives on the use of NF-kB inhibitors in cancer therapy and a historical introduction by David Baltimore, in whose lab NF-kB was discovered, this volume is a vital reference for cell and molecular biologists, immunologists, and pathologists interested in regulation of cell function.