Targeting NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK) in immunity, inflammation, and cancer

Abstract

NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK), the essential upstream kinase, which regulates activation of the noncanonical NF-κB pathway, has important roles in regulating immunity and inflammation. In addition, NIK is vital for maintaining cellular health through its control of fundamental cellular processes, including differentiation, growth, and cell survival. As such aberrant expression or regulation of NIK is associated with several disease states. For example, loss of NIK leads to severe immune defects, while the overexpression of NIK is observed in inflammatory diseases, metabolic disorders, and the development and progression of cancer. This review discusses recent studies investigating the therapeutic potential of NIK inhibitors in various diseases.