TP53 and leukemia: Mandal et al (18) showed that the p38 MAPK pathway is indispensable in the apoptosis of leukemia cells induced by Withaferin A. The p38 MAPK signaling pathway plays a key role in promoting the apoptosis of cells, a process associated with the activation of p53 and caspases, and the translocation of Bax (19,20).