NF-κB is usually found in an inactive state in the cytoplasm, bound to the inhibitory protein IκB. Upon activation by various stimuli (e.g., cytokines, microbial antigens, or stress signals), IκB is phosphorylated and degraded, allowing NF-κB to translocate to the nucleus. In the nucleus, it binds to specific DNA sequences and promotes the transcription of target genes.
