The NF-κB-driven inflammatory cascade in ischemic stroke: Linking DAMPs, inflammasomes, and neurovascular dysfunction

Ischemic stroke is increasingly recognized as an inflammation-driven disease in which secondary injury extends beyond the initial ischemic insult. Sterile inflammation triggered by endogenous danger signals plays a decisive role in neuronal loss, blood-brain barrier disruption, and neurological outcome. Among the pathways involved, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is a canonical inflammatory transcription factor, but its broader integrative role in post-ischemic inflammation remains insufficiently defined. In this review, we summarize evidence showing how NF-κB links three interconnected dimensions of post-ischemic pathology: DAMP sensing, inflammasome priming/activation, and neurovascular unit dysfunction. We discuss how DAMPs, including mitochondrial DNA and stress-induced immune mediators, activate NF-κB through pathways such as STING and TLR4, thereby establishing an inflammatory priming state. We further highlight how NF-κB-dependent transcription licenses inflammasome activation, promotes pyroptotic cell death, and amplifies neuroinflammation through NLRP3- and AIM2-related pathways. Beyond cell-intrinsic effects, NF-κB also mediates glial crosstalk and contributes to endothelial and BBB dysfunction. Importantly, post-ischemic inflammation is also shaped by parallel pathways, including MAPKs, JAK/STAT signaling, and autophagy-related mechanisms. We also discuss therapeutic implications, dual injurious and reparative roles, interactions with other regulated cell death pathways, and translational challenges. Collectively, this review positions NF-κB as a context-dependent therapeutic node within a broader inflammatory network.