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The Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Signaling Pathway as a Discovery Target in Stroke

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An Erratum to this article was published on 28 May 2016

Abstract

Protein kinases are critical modulators of a variety of intracellular and extracellular signal transduction pathways, and abnormal phosphorylation events can contribute to disease progression in a variety of diseases. As a result, protein kinases have emerged as important new drug targets for small molecule therapeutics. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway transmits signals from the cell membrane to the nucleus in response to a variety of different stimuli. Because this pathway controls a broad spectrum of cellular processes, including growth, inflammation, and stress responses, it is accepted as a therapeutic target for cancer and peripheral inflammatory disorders. There is also increasing evidence that MAPK is an important regulator of ischemic and hemorrhagic cerebral vascular disease, raising the possibility that it might be a drug discovery target for stroke. In this review, we discuss the MAPK signaling pathway in association with its activation in stroke-induced brain injury.

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  1. Department of Neurology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, No. 126 Xiantai Street, Changchun, 130000, Jilin, China

    Jing Sun & Guangxian Nan

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  1. Jing Sun
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  2. Guangxian Nan
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Correspondence to Guangxian Nan.

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Sun, J., Nan, G. The Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Signaling Pathway as a Discovery Target in Stroke. J Mol Neurosci 59, 90–98 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-016-0717-8

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