RelA/NFkB p65

By Jamshed Arslan Pharm.D.

NFkB is a transcription factor that plays a role in the expression of genes involved in immune response, inflammation, metastasis, cell survival and more. RelA (p65) is one member of the NFkB mammalian family, alongside other subunits.

RelA (also known as p65) is an NF-kB family member and a subunit of the NF-kB transcription factor complex.  The mammalian NF-kB family has five members (NF-kB1, NF-kB2, RelA (p65), RelB, and c-Rel), each of which contains an N-terminal Rel homology domain. Active NF-kB protein complexes are dimeric (hetero- or homo-), and are made up of two family members. NF-kB signaling is activated in response to many different types of stimuli and modulates transcription of numerous downstream targets.

NF-kappa-B is a ubiquitous transcription factor involved in several biological processes such as inflammation, immunity, differentiation, cell growth, tumor genesis and apoptosis. Unlike the majority of transcription factors that reside in the nucleus, NFkB is predominantly bound to IkBs protein inhibitors and is located in the cytoplasm. There are two major signaling pathways involved in the activation of NFkB, canonical and non-canonical. [1] In the canonical NF-kB pathway, NF-kB activation is dependent on the inducible degradation of IkBs, particularly IkBa.