This gene encodes a 105 kD protein that undergoes cotranslational processing by the 26S proteasome to produce a 50 kD protein The 105 kD protein inhibits Rel protein-specific transcription while the 50 kD protein is a DNA-binding subunit of the NF-kappa-B (NFKB) complex NFKB is activated by various stimuli like cytokines oxidative stress and microbial products and translocates to the nucleus to regulate genes involved in numerous biological processes Aberrant NFKB activation is linked to inflammatory diseases while persistent inhibition can cause immune dysfunction or delayed cell growth NFKB is also essential in the immediate-early response to viral infection Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants with at least one being proteolytically processed