细胞凋亡活性的异常改变与多种疾病包括肿瘤的发生和发展密切相关。核因子κB（NF-κB）基因被克隆 30 多年来，人们对 它的研究日趋深入，已发现一系列受其调控的基因，这些靶基因产物广泛地参与炎症反应及细胞增殖、分化、衰老、凋亡等生理和病 理过程。该文重点介绍 NF-κB 调控细胞凋亡的信号调控网络及相关调控分子，以及各种不同的环境因素如何影响NF-κB 对细胞凋亡 活性的调控。此外，鉴于在肿瘤等疾病中 NF-κB 活性异常上调，寻找特异性靶向 NF-κB 的活性抑制剂将有助于防止此类疾病的发生。

 The abnormal changes in the apoptosis activities are relevant to a number of diseases including the tumor genesis and development. Since the gene structure of NF-κB being cloned three decades ago, the investigation of the transcriptional factor has been improved over time. A series of target genes are revealed to be modulated, which participate in physiological and pathological activities, including inflammation, proliferation, differentiation, senescence, and apoptosis. This review is focused on the signaling network of cell apoptosis regulated by NF-κB, the molecular involved, as well as the environmental variants associated. Furthermore, as NF-κB is unusually up-regulated in diseases such as cancer, searching for its specific antagonists may prevent the occurrence of those diseases.