MAPK8

Mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 (also known as JNK1) is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the MAPK8 gene.

Function

The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the MAP kinase and JNK family. MAP kinases act as an integration point for multiple biochemical signals, and are involved in a wide variety of cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, transcription regulation and development. This kinase is activated by various cell stimuli, and targets specific transcription factors, and thus mediates immediate-early gene expression in response to cell stimuli. The activation of this kinase by tumor-necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is found to be required for TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis. This kinase is also involved in UV radiation-induced apoptosis, which is thought to be related to the cytochrome c-mediated cell death pathway. Studies of the mouse counterpart of this gene suggested that this kinase play a key role in T cell proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation. Four alternately spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been reported.

Interactions

MAPK8 has been shown to interact with:

• Activating transcription factor 2,
• C-jun,
• CRK,
• DUSP10,
• DUSP1,
• DUSP22,
• GSTP1,
• IRS1,
• MAP2K4,
• MAP2K7,
• MAP3K1
• MAP3K2,
• MAPK8IP1,
• MAPK8IP3,
• Myc,
• REL,
• SH3BP5, and
• SPIB.

External links

• MAP Kinase Resource .

This article incorporates text from the United States National Library of Medicine, which is in the public domain.