NF-κB signaling in skeletal muscle health and disease

Abstract

Muscle development, growth, and maintenance require an intricate and timely series of events initiated through a multitude of signaling pathways. The very nature of skeletal muscle requires tremendous plasticity to accommodate the need for anabolism or catabolism, and deregulation of these processes may be a tipping point in the development or progression of various skeletal muscle disorders. Among the relevant signaling pathways, NF-κB has emerged as a critical factor involved in various facets of muscle homeostasis. In this review, we summarize the NF-κB signaling pathway and provide a fresh perspective into the regulation and function of this transcription factor, underlying both the physiological and pathophysiological states of skeletal muscle.