NFKB1

protein-coding

nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1, the group of Ankyrin repeat domain containing|NF-kappa B complex subunits|IPT domain containing

Gene summary

This gene encodes a 105 kD protein which can undergo cotranslational processing by the 26S proteasome to produce a 50 kD protein. The 105 kD protein is a Rel protein-specific transcription inhibitor and the 50 kD protein is a DNA binding subunit of the NF-kappa-B (NFKB) protein complex. NFKB is a transcription regulator that is activated by various intra- and extra-cellular stimuli such as cytokines, oxidant-free radicals, ultraviolet irradiation, and bacterial or viral products. Activated NFKB translocates into the nucleus and stimulates the expression of genes involved in a wide variety of biological functions. Inappropriate activation of NFKB has been associated with a number of inflammatory diseases while persistent inhibition of NFKB leads to inappropriate immune cell development or delayed cell growth. NFKB is a critical regulator of the immediate-early response to viral infection. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms, at least one of which is proteolytically processed. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2020]

MANE transcript

NM_003998.4

Inheritance

AD

ClinVar variants

P:172U:401B:224

Top phenotype

Immunodeficiency, common variable, 12, with autoimmunity

gnomAD constraint

pLI —, LoF o/e 0.04

Max pathogenic AF

—

Genomic locus

chr4:102,501,330-102,617,302

External References & Databases

Transcript & Mutation Effects

hg38 • Region Span ~116.0 kb
Loading mutation effect viewer...

GenCC Phenotypes & Disease Associations

Curated gene-disease validity assertions and inheritance patterns

immunodeficiency, common variable, 12STRONG

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0014697

Submitter: PanelApp Australia

immunodeficiency, common variable, 12DEFINITIVE

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0014697

Submitter: ClinGen

*NFKB1* was first reported in relation to autosomal dominant common variable immunodeficiency in 2015 (Fliegauf M et al., PMID: 26279205). Common variable immunodeficiency associated with pathogenic NFKB1 variants has a heterogeneous presentation in patients, often including hypogammaglobulinemia with or without changes to the size of the overall B cell population and increased susceptibility to autoimmunity, infections, and malignancies (PMID: 29477724). Ten variants (e.g. missense, nonsense, frameshift, and splice site) that have been reported in ten probands in two publications (PMIDs: 29477724, 26279205) are included in this curation. In addition, segregation of an NFKB1 variant in a family with common variable immunodeficiency was included as evidence (PMID: 26279205). More evidence is available in the literature, but the maximum score for genetic evidence (12 pts.) has been reached. The mechanism of pathogenicity is reported to be loss of function. This gene-disease association is also supported by animal models and in vitro functional assays (PMIDs: 7834752, 25225457, 27022143, 28115215). Specifically, mouse models with abrogated NFKB1 expression presented with features of human disease, including increased susceptibility to certain infections, decreased levels of certain antibody subtypes, and increased incidence of autoimmunity (PMIDs: 7834752, 27022143). Defects in T-cell-dependent antigen-specific antibody production by B cells with decreased p50 expression in mice were found to be overcome by genetically increased expression of p50 (PMID: 25225457). In addition, human cell lines expressing missense *NFKB1* variants were found to have functional defects, including reduced nuclear translocation of NFKB1 and stability (PMID: 28115215). Notably, *NFKB1*-associated common variable immunodeficiency has a reduced penetrance that is estimated to be 60-80% based on family studies and intra- and inter-familial differences in expressivity, age of onset, and clinical features have been reported. (PMIDs: 28115215, 29477724). While *NFKB1* is clearly associated with common variable immunodeficiency, patients with alternative phenotypes have been reported, including one family with postoperative necrotizing cellulitis and neutrophilia in the absence of hypogammaglobulinemia and increased susceptibility to infections and another family with Behcet’s disease along with hypogammaglobulinemia and recurrent infections (PMID: 28115215). Therefore, the clinical signs and symptoms associated with *NFKB1* may still be emerging and *NFKB1* defects should be considered in patients with immunodeficiency and associated evidence of autoinflammation. In summary, *NFKB1* is definitively associated with autosomal dominant common variable immunodeficiency. This has been repeatedly demonstrated in both the research and clinical diagnostic settings, and has been upheld over time. **Data provided by the ClinGen Monogenic Diabetes GCEP on February 19, 2025:** Currently, there is limited evidence that loss-of-function variants in *NFKB1* are implicated in diabetes. The first report of the gene in an individual with diabetes occurred in 2019 in an individual harboring the c.904dup, p.(Ser302PhefsTer7) variant, who was reported to have type 2 diabetes mellitus in addition to hypogammaglobulinemia, recurrent bronchitis, sinusitis, CMV-colitis, splenomegaly, nodular lymphoid hyperplasia of the gastrointestinal tract, nodular regenerative hyperplasia of the liver, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and Addison’s disease (PMID: 31803180). Two of their younger family members were also found to harbor the variant, but neither of them had a history of diabetes. Additionally, another study reported that 1.8% of 106 participants harboring a pathogenic *NKFB1* variant had type I diabetes (T1D) (PMID: 32278790); the specific variant associated with T1D was not reported. Another loss-of-function variant was identified in an individual with a history of pyoderma gangrenosum with recurrent fevers and increased neutrophile and white blood cell counts in addition to diabetes. Most recently, a heterozygous splice site variant c.1753-1G>C was reported in an individual with a history of “atypical diabetes” (PMID: 37104866). While diabetes has in rare instances been observed in individuals with pathogenic *NFKB1* variants, there is insufficient evidence to prove or disprove a causal relationship at this time. Given the wide range of autoimmune manifestations associated with *NFKB1,* individuals found to have a pathogenic variant in the context of diabetes should also receive regular thyroid, blood, liver, renal, and pulmonary screening.

immunodeficiency, common variable, 12STRONG

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0014697

Submitter: Labcorp Genetics (formerly Invitae)

Clinical Genomic Database (CGD)

Immunodeficiency, common variable, 12, with autoimmunityAD

Manifestation: Allergy/Immunology/Infectious

Intervention: Allergy/Immunology/Infectious

Rationale: Individuals have been described with immunodeficiency and recurrent infections, and antiinfectious prophylaxis and early and aggressive treatment of infections may be beneficial

Refs: 26279205Source: CGD (NHGRI)

ClinVar Associated Diseases & Phenotypes

Reported disease conditions connected to NFKB1 variants in ClinVar

10 Conditions Cataloged
not providedTotal: 858
not specifiedTotal: 88
Immunodeficiency, common variable, 12Total: 81
Inborn genetic diseasesTotal: 74
NFKB1-related disorderTotal: 52
Inherited Immunodeficiency DiseasesTotal: 10
Common variable immunodeficiencyTotal: 7
High myopiaTotal: 1

ClinVar Variants & Pathogenicity by Type

Statistics based on transcript NM_003998.4. Only rare variants are included.

We include only reliable ClinVar variants with their consequences to MANE Select, MANE Plus Clinical transcripts, or transcripts with TSL equal to 1. Click a count to filter the variants table below.

Slight differences between displayed counts and ClinVar may occur due to a different transcript/consequence chosen by our variant effect predictor, or because we classify Benign/Likely benign as Likely benign and Pathogenic/Likely pathogenic as Likely pathogenic.

EffectPLPVUSLBBSum
synonymous
10
clinvar
190
clinvar
7
clinvar
207
missense
5
clinvar
4
clinvar
385
clinvar
27
clinvar
421
nonsense
26
clinvar
7
clinvar
33
start loss
1
clinvar
1
frameshift
64
clinvar
26
clinvar
1
clinvar
91
splice donor/acceptor (+/-2bp)
4
clinvar
36
clinvar
4
clinvar
44
Total99734012177797

Highest pathogenic variant AF is 0.0000065791205

Loading ClinVar variants...

Transcript Catalog

Annotated transcript isoforms across RefSeq and Ensembl databases

Showing 4 of 63 transcripts
Transcript IDSourceProtein IDCoding ExonsMANE Status
NM_003998.4RefSeqNP_003989.223MANE Select
ENST00000226574.9EnsemblENSP00000226574.423MANE Select
NM_001165412.2RefSeqNP_001158884.123Standard
NM_001319226.2RefSeqNP_001306155.123Standard

Gene Ontology (GO) Annotations & Pathways

Biological processes, molecular functions, cellular components and pathways

Pathways ConsensusPathDB

  • PI3K-Akt signaling pathway - Homo sapiens (human)
  • Chronic myeloid leukemia - Homo sapiens (human)
  • Relaxin signaling pathway - Homo sapiens (human)
  • Adipocytokine signaling pathway - Homo sapiens (human)
  • T cell receptor signaling pathway - Homo sapiens (human)

Biological Process

  • negative regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II
  • stimulatory C-type lectin receptor signaling pathway
  • transcription by RNA polymerase II
  • apoptotic process
  • inflammatory response

Molecular Function

  • transcription regulatory region sequence-specific DNA binding
  • RNA polymerase II regulatory region sequence-specific DNA binding
  • RNA polymerase II distal enhancer sequence-specific DNA binding
  • DNA-binding transcription factor activity, RNA polymerase II-specific
  • DNA-binding transcription repressor activity, RNA polymerase II-specific

Cellular Component

  • extracellular region
  • nucleus
  • nucleoplasm
  • cytoplasm
  • mitochondrion

gnomAD Constraint

Source: gnomAD

Gene type
protein_coding
Transcript type
protein_coding
Transcript
ENST00000226574
Coding exons
23
Length
115974
Individuals with no LoFs
125735
Homozygous LoFs
0
Heterozygous LoFs
3
Defined
125738
p
0.0000119
Z-ScoreObservedExpectedObserved/ExpectedMutation RateTotal Possible
Missense3.193375470.6160.00002916353
Missense (PolyPhen)64185.460.345092081
Synonymous-0.04862102091.000.00001201926
Loss of Function5.98245.60.04390.00000219567

Population LoF Frequency

PopulationCAFp-valueStatus
African00.0absent
Latino/Admixed American00.0absent
Ashkenazi Jewish00.0absent
East Asian0.0000540.000054rare
Finnish00.0absent
European (Non-Finnish)0.0000180.000018rare
South Asian00.0absent
Other00.0absent

dbNSFP Gene Annotations

Source: dbNSFP

Function
FUNCTION: NF-kappa-B is a pleiotropic transcription factor present in almost all cell types and is the endpoint of a series of signal transduction events that are initiated by a vast array of stimuli related to many biological processes such as inflammation, immunity, differentiation, cell growth, tumorigenesis and apoptosis. NF-kappa-B is a homo- or heterodimeric complex formed by the Rel-like domain-containing proteins RELA/p65, RELB, NFKB1/p105, NFKB1/p50, REL and NFKB2/p52 and the heterodimeric p65-p50 complex appears to be most abundant one. The dimers bind at kappa-B sites in the DNA of their target genes and the individual dimers have distinct preferences for different kappa-B sites that they can bind with distinguishable affinity and specificity. Different dimer combinations act as transcriptional activators or repressors, respectively. NF-kappa-B is controlled by various mechanisms of post-translational modification and subcellular compartmentalization as well as by interactions with other cofactors or corepressors. NF-kappa-B complexes are held in the cytoplasm in an inactive state complexed with members of the NF-kappa-B inhibitor (I-kappa-B) family. In a conventional activation pathway, I-kappa-B is phosphorylated by I-kappa-B kinases (IKKs) in response to different activators, subsequently degraded thus liberating the active NF-kappa-B complex which translocates to the nucleus. NF-kappa-B heterodimeric p65-p50 and RelB-p50 complexes are transcriptional activators. The NF-kappa-B p50-p50 homodimer is a transcriptional repressor, but can act as a transcriptional activator when associated with BCL3. NFKB1 appears to have dual functions such as cytoplasmic retention of attached NF-kappa-B proteins by p105 and generation of p50 by a cotranslational processing. The proteasome-mediated process ensures the production of both p50 and p105 and preserves their independent function, although processing of NFKB1/p105 also appears to occur post-translationally. p50 binds to the kappa-B consensus sequence 5'-GGRNNYYCC-3', located in the enhancer region of genes involved in immune response and acute phase reactions. In a complex with MAP3K8, NFKB1/p105 represses MAP3K8-induced MAPK signaling; active MAP3K8 is released by proteasome-dependent degradation of NFKB1/p105. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:15485931}.;
Disease
DISEASE: Immunodeficiency, common variable, 12 (CVID12) [MIM:616576]: A primary immunodeficiency characterized by antibody deficiency, hypogammaglobulinemia, recurrent bacterial infections and an inability to mount an antibody response to antigen. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:26279205}. Note=The disease is caused by mutations affecting the gene represented in this entry.;

Recessive Scores

pRec
0.946

Intolerance Scores

LoFtool
0.307
RVIS EVS
-0.48
RVIS percentile EVS
22.78

Essentials

Essential (CRISPR)
N
Essential (CRISPR2)
N
Essential (gene trap)
N
Indispensability pred.
E
Indispensability score
1.00

Gene Damage Prediction

AllRecessiveDominant
MendelianMediumMediumMedium
Primary ImmunodeficiencyMediumMediumMedium
CancerMediumMediumMedium
For research and educational, non-commercial use only. Not for clinical or diagnostic use. GeneBe does not provide medical advice. Data use for AI modeling is prohibited: if used, the cost is $0.001 per byte of downloaded uncompressed data.