NF-kB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) is a protein complex that controls the transcription of DNA. NFkB is involved in cellular responses to stimuli such as stress, cytokines, free radicals, ultraviolet irradiation, oxidized LDL, and bacterial or viral antigens. NF-kB plays a key role in regulating the immune response to infection. Conversely, incorrect regulation of NF-kB has been linked to cancer, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, septic shock, viral infection, and improper immune development. NFkB has an important anti- apoptotic role achieved via promoting the expression of the BCL2 protein gamily members that inhibit the intrinsic apoptosis (mitochondrial collapse and the resulting apoptosome formation) by interaction with the BAX protein, and by promoting the expression of IAP (IAP = inhibitor of apoptosis) family of proteins, which inhibit some of the caspases by physically interaction with them.
