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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

A Guide to Production, Crystallization, and Structure Determination of Human IKK1/α
Published on: November 2, 2018
Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) -1-mediated NF-kappaB activation requires cytosolic and nuclear
Gang Liu1, Young-Jun Park, Edward Abraham
1Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
Insights
Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK)-1 has a novel nuclear role in activating NF-kappaB-dependent gene expression. This nuclear IRAK-1 function complements its known cytoplasmic actions in the Toll-like receptor/interleukin-1 receptor pathway.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK)-1 is crucial for Toll-like receptor/interleukin-1 receptor (TLR/IL-1R) signaling.
- IRAK-1 mediates NF-kappaB activation through IKK activation, IkappaB degradation, and NF-kappaB nuclear translocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate a novel nuclear function of IRAK-1 in NF-kappaB-dependent gene expression.
- To elucidate the mechanisms by which nuclear IRAK-1 influences transcriptional activity.
Main Methods:
- Stimulation of cells with IL-1 and LPS.
- CRM-1-dependent nuclear export blockade.
- Analysis of NF-kappaB transcriptional activity.
- Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays.
- In vitro and in vivo histone phosphorylation assays.
Main Results:
- Nuclear localization of IRAK-1 increases upon cellular stimulation or blockade of nuclear export.
- Induced IRAK-1 enhances NF-kappaB transcriptional activity, preceding IkappaB-alpha degradation.
- IRAK-1 binds to the IkappaB-alpha promoter and enhances p65 subunit binding.
- IRAK-1 phosphorylates histone H3 in vitro and is required for IL-1-induced histone H3 phosphorylation in vivo.
Conclusions:
- IRAK-1 exerts both cytoplasmic and nuclear functions in activating NF-kappaB-dependent transcription.
- Nuclear IRAK-1 directly participates in regulating NF-kappaB target gene expression.
- These findings reveal a dual role for IRAK-1 in innate immune signaling pathways.
Abstract:
Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) -1 plays an essential role in Toll-like receptor/interleukin-1 receptor (TLR/IL-1R) -associated NF-kappaB activation through its involvement in IKK activation, which then leads to subsequent IkappaB degradation and NF-kappaB nuclear translocation. In the present studies, we demonstrate a novel pathway in which IRAK-1 present in the nucleus participates in NF-kappaB-dependent gene expression. Nuclear localization of IRAK-1 is increased on cellular stimulation with IL-1 and LPS, or CRM-1-dependent nuclear export blockade. Induction of IRAK-1 produces enhanced NF-kappaB transcriptional activity that precedes IkappaB-alpha degradation and nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB. IRAK-1 binds to the promoter of NF-kappaB-regulated gene, IkappaB-alpha, and enhances binding of the NF-kappaB p65 subunit to NF-kappaB responsive elements within the IkappaB-alpha promoter. IRAK-1 phosphorylates histone H3 in vitro and is required for IL-1-induced phosphorylation of histone H3 at serine 10 in vivo. These data indicate that both cytosolic and nuclear actions of IRAK-1 participate in the activation of NF-kappaB-dependent transcriptional events.
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