Fig. 2. Autophagy regulates IKK/NF-κΒ signaling in cancer cells.

Autophagy modulates NF-κΒ pathway by mediating the degradation of either IKKs or IκBα. If IKK is degraded, pro-tumoral NF-κB signaling is inhibited, while the autophagic degradation of IκBα causes NF-κB activation and tumor promotion. The autophagic targeting of core elements of NF-κB pathway involves specific cargo receptors, such as KEAP1, Ro52, Hsp90, SKP2, p62, and NRF2.