Abstract: Kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is the major cause of poor prognosis after kidney transplantation and partial nephrectomy. Besides, it is also a critical pathophysiological process of acute kidney injury. Consequently, the prevention and treatment of kidney IRI are of significance to improve clinical prognosis of recipients undergoing kidney transplantation. However, the mechanism underlying IRI is complex, and the exact mechanism remains elusive. Inflammation, as one of the main pathogenesis of IRI, plays a significant role in IRI-induced kidney injury. Nuclear factor (NF)-κB, as a rapid response transcription factor, has been proven to be involved in the regulation of inflammation during kidney IRI. Therefore, in this article, the structure of NF-κB, the activation pattern of NF-κB signaling pathway, the regulatory mechanisms of NF-κB upstream and downstream signaling pathways in kidney IRI were reviewed, and the role of NF-κB signaling pathway in kidney IRI was investigated, aiming to provide novel clinical ideas for the prevention and treatment of kidney IRI.