Control of the NF-κB inhibitor IκBα in pathogen infection

One of the important cellular factors involved in the regulation of the host antimicrobial response is the immediate early response transcription factor NF-kappaB (nuclear factor kappaB). Human pathogenic micro-organisms trigger cellular signal transduction pathways that induce NF-kappaB, but pathogens have also found ways to overcome the inflammatory response through active manipulation of NF-kappaB regulators. Exploration of the mechanisms that influence NF-kappaB activity could contribute to a better understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of microbial infections and could be important for potential therapeutic intervention that may be relevant in a wide variety of inflammatory diseases.