IKK/NF-κB signaling: balancing life and death -: a new approach to cancer therapy

1KB kinase/NF-KB (IkK/NF-KB) signaling pathways play critical roles in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. One function of NF-KB is promotion of cell survival through induction of target genes, whose products inhibit components of the apoptotic machinery in normal and cancerous cells. NF-KB can also prevent programmed necrosis by inducing genes encoding antioxidant proteins. Regardless of mechanism, many cancer cells, of either epithelial or hematopoietic origin. use NF-KB to achieve resistance to anticancer drugs, radiation, and death cytokines. Hence, inhibition of IKK-driven NF-KB activation offers a strategy for treatment of different malignancies and can convert inflammation-induced tumor growth to inflammation-induced tumor regression.