Quantitative assessment of NFκB transcription factor activity

The Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NFκB) pathway is an important signalling pathway in the immune system. Single gene defects in the NFκB pathway are described in a number of immunodeficiency diseases. These conditions provide a unique opportunity to investigate the mechanisms of NFκB function and how genetic mutations that disrupt this function lead to human disease. Here we describe a robust method for quantifying small differences in the functional activity of the NFκB pathway. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors were stimulated over several days, with a combination of anti-IgM antibody and multimeric CD40 ligand. Nuclear proteins were thereafter extracted and tested for the ability of activated transcription factors, to bind known NFκB DNA binding motifs. Repeatability experiments showed that the DNA binding Activity can be quantified with an average inter and intra assay coefficient of variation of less than 10% (RelB and p52) and less than 15% (p50 and RelA). In healthy individuals there is a significant increase in the DNA binding activity of NFκB transcription factors in response to stimulation, although the magnitude of this response varies across individuals. The kinetics of the DNA binding activity also differs between the canonical and non-canonical transcription factors. P50 and RelA DNA binding activity responds within hours of stimulation, whilst RelB and p52 response was delayed to more than a day after stimulation. Activation of NFκB signalling in response to B cell specific stimulation, can be precisely measured to distinguish individuals with differences in the functional activity of this pathway. This test may prove to be an important biomarker for investigating the functional impact of genetic variants on NFκB signalling.