MAPK7 and cancer: In specific cancers such as neuroblastoma and malignant mesothelioma, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway can activate MEK5, thus initiating the MEK5/ERK5 signaling cascade (Ramos-Nino et al., 2008; Umapathy et al., 2014).