Herein, we propose that CP-673451 treatment can induce the upregulation of phosphatase dual-specificity phosphatase 1 (DUSP1) and consecutive downregulation of phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), leading to the onset of differentiation of GBM cells, thus limiting proliferation and invasion in vitro, while improving the anti-tumour effects of temozolomide in vivo. Here, DUSP1 is linked to glioblastoma.