MAPK Signaling Pathway

About MAPK Pathway

Classical mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway activation begins at the cell membrane, where small GTPases and various protein kinases phosphorylate and activate MAPKKKs. Subsequently, MAPKKKs directly phosphorylate MAPKKs, which, once activated, phosphorylate MAPKs. Activated MAPKs interact with and phosphorylate numerous cytoplasmic substrates and ultimately modulate transcription factors that drive context-specific gene expression. This, in turn, results in various biological responses, for example osmotic shock, cell cycle progression, or induction of interferon production. There are at least three distinct MAPK signaling modules which mediate extracellular signals into the nucleus to turn on the responsive genes in mammalian cells. These include ERK, JNK, and p38 kinase. The MAPK signaling pathway is essential in regulating many cellular processes including inflammation, cell stress response, cell differentiation, cell division, cell proliferation, metabolism, motility and apoptosis.

Overview of MAPK signaling pathway

Associated Diseases

Thyroid Cancer

Related Pathways

Wnt Pathway

p53 Pathway

PPAR Pathway

References
1. Arthur JS, Ley SC (2013) Mitogen-activated protein kinases in innate immunity. Nat. Rev. Immunol. 13(9), 679-92.
2. Cargnello M, Roux PP (2011) Activation and function of the MAPKs and their substrates, the MAPK-activated protein kinases. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 75(1), 50–83.
3. Cseh B, Doma E, Baccarini M (2014) "RAF" neighborhood: protein-protein interaction in the Raf/Mek/Erk pathway. FEBS Lett. 588(15), 2398-406.
4. Darling NJ, Cook SJ (2014) The role of MAPK signalling pathways in the response to endoplasmic reticulum stress. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1843(10), 2150–63.
5. Koul HK, Pal M, Koul S (2013) Role of p38 MAP Kinase Signal Transduction in Solid Tumors. Genes Cancer 4(9-10), 342-59.
6. Plotnikov A, Zehorai E, Procaccia S, Seger R (2011) The MAPK cascades: signaling components, nuclear roles and mechanisms of nuclear translocation. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1813(9), 1619-33.
7. Sehgal V, Ram PT (2013) Network Motifs in JNK Signaling. Genes Cancer 4(9-10), 409-13

For research use only. Not intended for any clinical use.