MAP2K7 and acute myeloid leukemia: This increase in ERK phosphorylation is in contrast to the effect seen in AML as proliferation is blocked by lovastatin and is dependent upon decreased ERK phosphorylation.54 There is some precedent for ERK involvement in apoptosis as ERK mediates apoptosis caused by cisplatin.55 Although we could not establish a causal relationship between p-ERK and caspase, our data that show DGBP-mediated apoptosis are partially rescued by a MEK inhibitor, suggesting that ERK involvement in apoptosis is late in the stages of apoptosis.