WNK2 and cancer: Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38, are crucial molecules involved in pathways associated with cancer pathogenesis.[20] Activation of MAPK signaling pathways in HepG2 cells overexpressing DBH-AS1 was first determined by western blot analysis.