IKK alpha

The nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) is a ubiquitous transcription factor essential for the activation of immune and inflammatory responses. NFkB activity is inhibited when it is associated with IkB proteins in the cell cytoplasm. IkB proteins are phosphorylated by the IkB kinase complex. The IKK serine protein kinase consists of alpha and beta subunits (IKK alpha and IKK beta). These subunits interact with each other and together, are essential for NFkB activation. IKK alpha is expressed in variety of human tissues.

IKK beta, also known as IKK2, activates the NFkB complex by phosphorylating the NFkB inhibitor, IkBa. Several transcript variants, some protein-coding and some not, have been found for IKKB. The Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-kB) family of transcription factors regulates the expression of a wide range of genes critical for immune and inflammatory responses, cell survival, immune development, and cell proliferation (1). NF-kB was firstly identified by Dr.

Inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit alpha (IKK1 alpha) is a serine/threonine kinase that forms a complex with IKK beta and NEMO. It plays an essential role in embryonic skin development. Mice with low levels of IKKa show an increase in squamous cell carcinoma and overexpression of IKK-α in the skin of these mice abrogates tumor formation (1).