Active repression of antiapoptotic gene expression by ReIA(p65) NF-κB

With the emerging role of NF-kappaB in cancer it is important that its responses to stimuli relevant to tumor progression and therapy are understood. Here, we demonstrate that NF-kappaB induced by cytotoxic stimuli, such as ultraviolet light (UV-C) and the chemotherapeutic drugs daunorubicin/doxorubicin, is functionally distinct to that seen with the inflammatory cytokine TNF and is an active repressor of antiapoptotic gene expression. Surprisingly, these effects are mediated by the ReIA(p65) NF-kappaB subunit. Furthermore, UV-C and daunorubicin inhibit TNF-induced NF-kappaB transactivation, indicating that this is a dominant effect. Consistent with this, mechanistic studies reveal that UV-C and daunorubicin induce the association of ReIA with histone deacetylases. ReIA can therefore be both an activator and repressor of its target genes, dependent upon the manner in which it is induced. This has important implications for the role of NF-kappabeta in tumorigenesis and the use of NF-kappabeta inhibitors in cancer therapy.