Chemotherapy and radiotherapy aim to destroy cancer cells by inducing DNA double-strand breaks—damage that, once inflicted, usually causes the cells to die. But damage to a cell’s genetic material also activates a signaling pathway called IKK/NF-κB that helps prevent cell death, thus limiting the success of these treatments in patients.
NF-κB is a family of gene regulators that controls a wide variety of cellular processes—from immune responses to embryonic development—and is activated by the enzyme complex IKK. The IKK/NF-κB signaling pathway cannot simply be blocked, as it performs many vital functions in the body.
Researchers led by Professor Claus Scheidereit of the Max Delbrück Center have now succeeded in identifying two lead compounds that inhibit activation of the IKK/NF-κB pathway only when the