NFKB1 and HIV-1 infection: At the early phase of HIV-1 infection, several viral proteins (Tat, Vpr, Nef, and gp41) have been reported to enhance NF-κB activation to promote viral gene transcription, while at the late phase, other viral proteins (e.g., Vpu and Vpr) inhibit NF-κB activation to minimize antiviral gene expression (10–12).