TBK1IKK

TBK1IKK refers to a conceptual regulatory module described in some studies as the functional interaction between TBK1 (TANK-binding kinase 1) and members of the IKK family (notably IKKα and IKKβ, and sometimes including IKKε). It is not a single gene product, but a term used to capture how TBK1 and IKK-related kinases can coordinate signaling events in innate immunity.

In canonical innate immune pathways, TBK1 and the IKK family are activated downstream of pattern recognition receptors such as RIG-I-like receptors, Toll-like receptors, and the cGAS-STING axis. TBK1 phosphorylates IRF3 and IRF7 to drive type I interferon production, while the IKK complex phosphorylates IκB to release NF-κB and promote inflammatory gene transcription. The TBK1IKK module denotes how these kinases may operate in a coordinated fashion, with potential cross-talk between IRF and NF-κB pathways. Adaptor proteins like MAVS, TRIF, and NEMO can scaffold interactions, enhancing or tuning the combined output of antiviral and inflammatory responses.

Regulation of this module involves phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and dynamic associations with adaptor proteins and scaffold molecules. Dysregulation of TBK1 or IKK activity has been linked to inflammatory diseases, autoimmunity, and cancer, making the TBK1IKK axis a focus for therapeutic exploration aimed at modulating interferon and NF-κB signaling.