BackgroundInformation | Thep38familyreferstotheSAPK2/3Kinases(Stess-ActivatedProteinKinases),asubfamilyofJNK/SAPKfamily.p38/SAPKKinasesarealsoactivatedbystresses,mostnotablyinflammatorycytokines,irrADIation,andcertaintoxinssuchasanisomycinandarsenite.SAPKshavebeenimplicatedinmanypathologicalconditions,includinginflammation,cancerandneurodegenerativediseases.AswiththeotherMAPKfamilymembers(ERK,JNK,p38MAPK,andERK5),p38isactivatedthroughphosphorylationonboththreonineandtyrosineresiduesattheThr-X-Tyrdualphosphorylationmotif,whereXisGlyforp38.Oncephosphorylatedandactive,itthengoesontophosphorylatedownstreamtargetsinboththecytoplasmandthenucleus.Someoftheirmaintargetsofp38arethekinaseMAPKAPK2andthetranscriptionfactorATF2thatareactivatedviatheirphosphorylation. |