Unlike PDE4D expression, the level of TPL2 phosphorylation was found to be significantly higher in the bladder tumor tissues than that in the adjacent bladder normal tissues (P = 0.003) (Fig. 5e-g, Additional file 11: Figure S10, Additional file 10: Table S1), and the high level of pTPL2 was positively correlated to poor prognosis (Fig. 5h). This evidence concerns the gene MAP3K8 and urinary bladder neoplasm.