Targeting the NF-κB pathway for therapy of ischemic stroke

Ischemic strokes occur when a major cerebral artery or its branches are occluded, resulting in activation of inflammatory processes that cause secondary tissue injury, breakdown of the blood–brain barrier, edema or hemorrhage. Treatments that inhibit inflammatory processes may thus be highly beneficial. A key regulator of the inflammatory process is the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. In its active form, NF-κB regulates expression of proinflammatory and proapoptotic genes. The molecules that interact with NF-κB, and the subunits that compose NF-κB itself, represent therapeutic targets that can be modulated to decrease inflammation. This review focuses on our current understanding of the NF-κB pathway and the potential benefits of inhibiting NF-κB in ischemia-reperfusion injury of the brain.