Title:NF-κB in Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Probiotics: An Update
Volume: 12
Issue: 2
Author(s): Ana Virginia Rodriguez and Milagros Griet
Affiliation:
Keywords:
NF-κB, probiotic, signaling, inflammation, probiotic-host interaction, probiotic anti-inflammatory activity.
Abstract: The NF-κB (nuclear factor κappa B) belongs to a family of transcription factors that regulate a
number of key cellular pathways and control many physiological processes, including the immune and
inflammatory responses. The beneficial effect of probiotics is presently recognized in both the intestinal
and extra-intestinal development. The growing literature on the subject suggests an important role of
specific probiotic strains, mixtures of strains, and secreted products, all of which have a role in either the
preventive or therapeutic treatment of certain human disorders. During the last two decades, a number of
studies have shown that probiotic strains and their extracellular products can join the immune system and
activate receptors in different key pro-inflammatory pathways such as the NF-κB route, either by
increasing or suppressing the signaling pathways. This brief review does not include an exhaustive
bibliography of the subject, but focuses instead on an update to the latest research of the past three years
on the role of the NF-κB signaling pathway in the anti-inflammatory effect of probiotics.