IκB kinase alpha and cancer.

IκB kinase alpha (Ikk-α) gene mutations and IKK-α downregulation have been detected in various human squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), which are malignancies derived from squamous epithelial cells. These squamous epithelial cells distribute to many organs in the body; however, the epidermis is the only organ mainly composed of stratified squamous epithelial cells, called keratinocytes. SCC is the second most common type of skin cancer. Reducing IKK-α expression promotes tumor initiation, and its loss greatly enhances tumor progression from benign papillomas to malignant carcinomas during chemical skin carcinogenesis in mice. Thus, IKK-α has emerged as a tumor suppressor for SCCs. Furthermore, inducible deletion of IKK-α in the keratinocytes of adult mice causes spontaneous skin papillomas and carcinomas, indicating that IKK-α deletion functions as a tumor initiator as well as a tumor promoter. This article discusses IKK-α biological activities and associated molecular events in skin tumor development, which may provide insight into the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of human squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) in the future.