Here we show that phosphorylation of GSK3β on Ser389 by p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) is induced selectively by DSBs through ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated) as a unique mechanism to attenuate the activity of nuclear GSK3β and promote survival of cells undergoing DSBs. Here, WNK2 is linked to telangiectasis.