Hormonal regulation of the NF-kappa B signaling pathway

The NF-kappa B transcription factor modulates a number of gene responses to hormonal stimuli. NF-kappa B can be induced by growth promoting hormones a nd cytokines, has been shown to counteract the effectiveness of steroid hor mones and has recently been found to be regulated during mammalian spermato genesis. Recent advances in the characterization of the NF-kappa B signalin g pathway offer new opportunities to examine how hormonal stimuli regulate NF-kappa B mediated gene expression. In this mini-review we outline the sig nal pathways responsible for activating NF-kappa B, discuss the hormonal re gulation of NF-kappa B and the regulation of hormonal responses by NF-kappa B, as well as summarize new studies characterizing NF-kappa B expression a nd activity in the mammalian testis. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.