Abstract

ALDECOA BEDOYA, Franklin. NF-κB transcription factor in cancer. Horiz. Med. [online]. 2023, vol.23, n.1, e1987.  Epub Mar 03, 2023. ISSN 1727-558X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.24265/horizmed.2023.v23n1.12.

The nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) family of transcription factors, which regulates a large range of genes in various immunological and inflammatory response pathways, is of utmost importance. This family consists of five structurally similar members that can activate target genes by attaching to particular regions of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). A class of inhibitory proteins usually keep NF-κB proteins in the cytoplasm; however, different oncogenic signaling pathways can activate them and cause malignant phenotypes in the appropriate cells. The main goal of this review article is to understand the regulatory mechanisms of NF-κB transcription factor, its pathogenesis and its potential cancer therapies. From the year 2000 to December 2022, several databases, including PubMed, Scopus and SciELO, were consulted. Finally, the review was developed by searching bibliographic references looking for the keywords related to NF-κB and cancer. The NF-κB transcription factor plays a key role in numerous cell signaling pathways, is involved in a number of biological functions, and its mutations have been linked to cancer and immunological disorders, among other pathologies. Since NF-κB is expressed in all cell types and tissues, many oncogenic mutations can activate NF-κB in tumor cells, opening up new research possibilities for the treatment of cancer. The canonical pathway and the alternative (non-canonical) pathway are two distinct NF-κB signaling pathways with various activation methods. NF-κB is involved in a variety of oncogenic pathways, including chronic inflammation, proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, effect on cancer stem cells, metastasis, metabolic control and other related mechanisms. In conclusion, there are still many unanswered questions regarding the mechanisms and functions of NF-κB in the cellular context. A complete blockade of NF-κB does not appear to be a feasible strategy for the treatment of cancer at this time due to the variety of significant physiological actions that are altered by its blockade. Future research on NF-κB should focus on preventing cancer promotion while preserving the body’s natural physiological processes.

Keywords : NF-kappa B; Neoplasms; Neoplasm Metastasis.

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