BackgroundInformation | p38isamemberofthemitogenactivatedkinasefamilythatrespondstostressstimuli,suchasinflammatorycytokines,ultravioletirrADIation,heatshock,andosmoticshock.p38isinvolvedincelldifferentiationandapoptosis.Morerecently,P38hasbeenshowntohavearoleincellcyclecheckpointsandDNAdamagepathways.Theupstreamkinases,MKK3,MKK6andSEKactivatep38αbyphosphorylationatThr180andTyr182. Onceactivated,p38αMAPkinasehasbeenshowntophosphorylateandactivateanumberofproteinsincludingMAPKAPkinase2andthetranscriptionfactorsATF-2,MEF2andMSK1. |