Multiple roles of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway regulated by coupled negative feedback circuits

The NF-kappaB signaling pathway can perform multiple functional roles depending on specific cellular environments and cell types. Even in the same cell clones, the pathway can show different kinetic and phenotypic properties. It is believed that the complex networks controlling the NF-kappaB signaling pathway can generate these diverse and sometimes ambiguous phenomena. We noted, however, that the dynamics of NF-kappaB signaling pathway is highly stochastic and that the NF-kappaB signaling pathway contains multiple negative feedback circuits formed by IkappaB isoform proteins, IkappaBalpha and IkappaBepsilon in particular. Considering the topological similarity, their functional roles seem to be redundant, raising the question why different types of IkappaB isoforms need to exist. From extensive stochastic simulations of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway, we found that each IkappaB isoform actually conducts a different regulatory role through its own negative feedback. Specifically, our data suggest that IkappaBalpha controls the dynamic patterns of nuclear NF-kappaB, while IkappaBepsilon induces cellular heterogeneity of the NF-kappaB activities. These results may provide an answer to the question of how a single NF-kappaB signaling pathway can perform multiple biological functions even in the same clonal populations.