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433791
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NFkB is a family of transcription factors that play pivotal ...
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Summation
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NFkB is a family of transcription factors that play pivotal roles in immune, inflammatory, and antiapoptotic responses. There are five NF-kB/Rel family members, p65 (RelA), RelB, c-Rel, p50/p105 (NF-kappa-B1) and p52/p100 (NF-kappa-B2). All members of the NFkB family contain a highly conserved DNA-binding and dimerization domain called Rel-homology region (RHR). The RHR is responsible for homo- or heterodimerization. Therefore, NF-kappa-B exists in unstimulated cells as homo or heterodimers; the most common heterodimer is p65/p50. NF-kappa-B is sequestered in the cytosol of unstimulated cells through the interactions with a class of inhibitor proteins called IkBs, which mask the nuclear localization signal of NF-kB and prevent its nuclear translocation. Various stimuli induce the activation of the IkB kinase (IKK) complex, which then phosphorylates IkBs. The phosphorylated IkBs are ubiquitinated and then degraded through the proteasome-mediated pathway. The degradation of IkBs releases NF-kappa-B and and it can be transported into nucleus where it induces the expression of target genes.