Tuning NF-kappa B activity: A touch of COMMD proteins

NF-kappa B is an important regulator of immunity and inflammation, and its activation pathway has been studied extensively. The mechanisms that downregulate the activity of NF-kappa B have also received a lot of attention, particularly since its activity needs to be terminated to prevent chronic inflammation and subsequent tissue damage. The COMMD family has been identified as a new group of proteins involved in NF-kappa B termination. All ten COMMD members share the structurally conserved carboxy-terminal motif, the COMM domain, and are ubiquitously expressed. They seem to play distinct and non-redundant roles in various physiological processes, including NF-kappa B signaling. In this review, we describe the mechanisms and proteins involved in the termination of canonical NF-kappa B signaling, with a specific focus on the role of the COMMD family in the down-modulation of NF-kappa B. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.