Mitogen-activated protein kinase 13 (MAPK13) (MAPK13)

Mitogen-activated protein kinase 13 (MAPK13), also known as p38 delta, is a member of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase family, which includes alpha, beta, and gamma isoforms [1.1.1]. It is a serine/threonine kinase that plays a critical role in the MAP kinase signal transduction pathway, responding to environmental stresses and inflammatory cytokines [1.1.2]. Unlike the ubiquitously expressed p38 alpha, MAPK13 shows a more restricted tissue distribution, with high expression in the lungs, pancreas, and skin, making it a more specific therapeutic target [1.2.3]. It regulates diverse cellular processes, including protein translation, cytoskeletal remodeling, and epithelial stem cell differentiation [1.1.3, 1.2.4]. In disease contexts, MAPK13 is implicated in chronic inflammatory lung diseases like COPD and asthma, where it drives mucus overproduction, as well as in various cancers and diabetes [1.2.2, 1.2.5]. Pharmacological inhibition of MAPK13, often through small molecules binding the ATP-binding pocket, aims to modulate these pathological processes while potentially avoiding the systemic toxicities associated with pan-p38 inhibitors [1.4.3].

Other names

p38 deltaSAPK4PRKM13Stress-activated protein kinase 4MAP kinase 13Serk4

Inhibition of kinase catalytic activity by binding to the ATP-binding site (in DFG-in or DFG-out conformations), thereby preventing the phosphorylation of downstream substrates such as ATF2, ELK1, and eEF2K [1.2.2, 1.2.3].