MAPK8
Mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 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 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.
