MAPK15 is an attractive therapeutic target for gastric cancer

Abstract

We recently reported a study on the functional and clinicopathological significance of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)15 overexpression in patients with gastric cancer. Our data suggest that patients who overexpress MAPK15 in normal or premalignant stomach tissues may progress to invasive cancer [1] . In this research highlight, we summarize three features of MAPK15 as a potential target for treating gastric cancer. MAPK15 is specifically overexpressed in gastric cancers but not normal tissues. MAPK15 is involved in cell proliferation and tumorigenesis by regulating at least three signal pathways, such as c-Jun activity, telomerase activity, and autophagy. In addition, MAPK15 also has structural potential for development of a specific inhibitor. Based on these observations, MAPK15 may be a novel therapeutic target for gastric cancer.