Neuroprotective potency of activated NF-κB

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) is a transcription factor crucially involved in glial and neuronal function. Within the nervous system NF-kappaB is ubiquitously distributed and inducible activity can be discerned from constitutive activity. Prototypic inducible NF-kappaB in the nervous system is composed of the DNA-binding subunits p50 and p65 complexed with an inhibitory I kappaB alpha molecule. A number of signals from the cell surface can lead to rapid activation of NF-kappaB. Thus releasing the inhibition by I kappaB. Several pathways such as cytokine- and neurotophin-mediated activation, glutamatergic signal transduction and various diseases with crucial ROI involvement (e.g. Alzheimer disease, Parkinson, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, multiple sclerosis, ALS and injury) activate NF-kappaB in neurons. Here some of our findings on the role of NF-kappaB mediated neuroprotection in Alzheimer disease and the modulatory role of glia on neuronal NF-kappaB activation are discussed.