L.D. Kerr, J.-I. Inoue, N. Davis, E. Link, et al., "The Rel- associated pp40 protein prevents DNA binding of Rel and NF-kB: relationship with IkBb and regulation by phosphorylation," Genes & Development, 5:1464-76, 1991.
Lawrence Kerr (The Salk Institute, La Jolla, Calif.): "The regulation of protooncogene Rel, a transcription factor belonging to the family of NF-kB transcription factors, is important for the well-being of the cell because its altered form, v-rel, causes lymphoid leukemias. While the precise mechanism of signal transduction is not known, we believe that extracellular signal is transmitted through the cytoplasm and into the nucleus, where it can result in the transcription of specific genes. A lesion somewhere along these pathways often leads to neoplastic transformation.
"The rel/NF-kB proteins are sequestered in the cytoplasm in association with an inhibitory protein called lkB. Upon receiving appropriate signals, this rel/NF-kB/lkB complex is modified to allow translocation of the transcription ...
