NF-κB and pulmonary hypertension: Advances in mechanistic research and therapeutic applications

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a severe cardiovascular disorder characterized by pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) proliferation and vascular remodeling. The nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) family of transcription factors serves as a central mediator of inflammatory responses and plays a critical role in both innate and adaptive immunity. In recent years, the involvement of NF-κB signaling in PH pathogenesis has attracted growing interest. Accumulating evidence indicates that NF-κB contributes to pulmonary vascular remodeling and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction by modulating inflammatory processes, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. This review systematically summarizes the molecular mechanisms by which NF-κB contributes to PH, emphasizing its cell-specific roles in PASMCs and pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (PAECs), and evaluates the therapeutic potential of NF-κB as a target in PH.