IKK2 activation induces liver fibrosis

NF-κB has been implicated in multiple liver disorders such as viral hepatitis, liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. To study the hepatic NF-κB system, we generated transgenic mice conditionally expressing a constitutively active human IKK2 allele in the liver. Since high level prenatal IKK2 activation resulted in embryonic lethality, we focused on mice in which IKK2- expression was induced perinatally. Liver-specific IKK2 expression was confirmed through measuring simultaneously expressed luciferase in vivo. The mice developed mild chronic hepatitis and collagen mRNA upregulation within 4 weeks and a sig…