Notably, DNA damage-induced MK2 phosphorylation of hnRNPA0 facilitates cell cycle arrest and prevents apoptotic cell death in cancer cells lacking p53 function (Cannell et al., 2015), whereas here we demonstrate that DNA damage-induced MK2 phosphorylation of PABPC1 induces its 14-3-3-binding and promotes cell death. This evidence concerns the gene TP53 and cancer.