Figure 4. Model of BCR-ABL-IκBα-p53 network in normal (upper panel) and BCR-ABL positive cells (bottom panel).

In normal cells IκBα can shuttle from the cytoplasm to the nucleus to remove NF-κB and p53 from the DNA. In BCR-ABL positive cells, IκBα is mostly cytoplasmic, interacts with BCR-ABL and with p53. The BCR-ABL/IkBα network enables p53 to translocate into the nucleus and therefore functionally inactivate its tumor suppressive functions.