Signal transduction via the NF-kappaB pathway: a targeted treatment modality for infection, inflammation and repair.

Activation of transcription factors plays a pivotal role in many signal transduction pathways. Of particular interest is NF-kappaB, which is present in the cytoplasm in an inactive form, where it can be activated in response to many different stress conditions such as infection, inflammation, heat shock etc. It has also been associated with apoptosis and tissue repair. Modulation of signal transduction events that mediate activation of NF-kappaB seems to have a great potential in not only treating many disease conditions, but also in tissue repair. The present review article is an attempt to put together many different conditions where the NF-kappaB activation pathway appears to be crucial in transducing signals under stress conditions, and to explore the possibility of its modulation as a targeted treatment modality. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.