Role of nuclear factor κB in multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

The transcription factor nuclear factor κB(NF-κB) plays major roles in inflammatory diseases through regulation of inflammation and cell viability.Multiple sclerosis(MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system(CNS).It has been shown that NF-κB is activated in multiple cell types in the CNS of MS patients,including T cells,microglia/macrophages,astrocytes,oligodendrocytes,and neurons.Interestingly,data from animal model studies,particularly studies of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis,have suggested that NF-κB activation in these individual cell types has distinct effects on the development of MS.In this review,we will cover the current literature on NF-κB and the evidence for its role in the development of MS and its animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.