NF-κB-IKKβ Pathway as a Target for Drug Development: Realities, Challenges and Perspectives

摘要

Background: Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) comprises a family of proteins that act as transcriptionfactors promoting the expression of many genes. Activation of NF-κB biochemical cascadesis associated with the regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses and inflammation, amongother physiological responses. However, genetic abnormalities and continuous stimulation of the NF-κB-IKKβ pathway are directly related to many types of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, aswell as to the genesis and survival of tumor cells.Objectives: Inhibition of the NF-κB-IKKβ cascade can be considered an attractive therapeutic methodfor the genesis of new prototypes to combat these chronic multifactorial diseases.Results: This review describes some prototypes and drugs that act to inhibit the NF-κB-IKKβ pathway,highlighting the realities, challenges and perspectives for therapeutic use.Conclusion: Although only proteasome inhibitors, such as bortezomib and carfilzomib, are a reality astherapeutically useful drugs among the known modulators of possible targets in the NF-κB-IKKβpathway, some other prototypes described as IKKβ inhibitors have entered clinical stages as drug candidatesfor the control of inflammatory diseases. It is important to note that some classical drugs availableon the pharmaceutical market, such as acetylsalicylic acid, were also described more recently asNF-κB pathway modulators as IKKβ inhibitors.