MAPK8 and inflammatory response: Furthermore, the HFC diet induced greater increases in the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK p54, which are involved with MAPK signaling, in the hypertensive SHRSP5/Dmcr strain compared with the normotensive WKY, thereby suggesting that the increased activation of TAK1-dependent MAPK signaling (p38 and JNK) may have contributed to severe hepatic inflammation in the hypertensive rats.