New Insights into the Role of NF-κB in Hepatitis B Virus Infection

The nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) is a critical regulator in immune development, responses, and tumorigenesis. A range of signals can stimulate its activation by interacting with the inhibitor of κB (IκB) and IκB kinase (IKK) through the canonical pathway or non-canonical pathway. Activation of NF-κB results in this transcriptional factor binding with specific κB sites of different target genes. The NF-κB signaling pathway is particularly associated with liver diseases including hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. HBV proteins have been shown to interact with different members of the NF-κB system, either enhancing or suppressing its activity. Here, we summarize current understanding on the interaction between HBV proteins and the NF-κB pathway, along with its association with liver diseases and potential therapeutic targets.