NFkB - Cellular immune and inflammatory response

Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) is a family of transcription factors that are involved in cellular immune and inflammatory response, cell growth and apoptosis. Its activation is linked to a series of diseases like cancer, cancer, chronic inflammation, autoimmune disease, viral infections, neurodegenerative diseases, and heart disease. NF-κB activity is also increased during aging and is required for the maintenance of the aged-related phenotypes.

NF-κB is a homo- or heterodimeric protein complex, composed by RelA, RelB, c-REL, NFkB1, and NFkB2. These protein complexes remain in cytoplasm complexed with IKB proteins in their inactive state. When IKB is phosphorylated, it is degraded and NF-κB proteins can translocate to the nucleus to act as transcription factors. To measure NF-κB activity, we use the RelA protein, also known as p65, fused to a fluorescent protein, which allows us to measure the accumulation of NF-κB in the cell nucleus.