Critical role of NF-κB in pancreatic cancer

Oncotarget. 2014 Nov 30;5(22):10969-75. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.2624.

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers, and in spite of intense efforts there are limited therapeutic options for patients with PDAC. PDACs harbor a high frequency of Kras mutations and other driver mutations that lead to altered signaling pathways and contribute to therapeutic resistance. Importantly, constitutive activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) is frequently observed in PDAC. An increasing body of evidence suggests that both classical and non-classical NF-κB pathways play a crucial role in PDAC development and progression. In this review, we update the most recent advances regarding different aspects of NF-κB involvement in PDAC development and progression, emphasizing its potential as a therapeutic target and the need to discover pathway-specific cytosolic NF-κB regulators which could be used to design novel therapeutic strategies for PDAC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / metabolism*
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / pathology
  • Humans
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism*

Substances

  • NF-kappa B