EGFR and colitis: AKT1 is strongly associated with the M1 phenotype of macrophages, which plays a key role in colitis.[25] EGFR is an upstream molecule of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway.[26] SRC is one of the major protein tyrosine kinases that regulate the MAPK signaling pathway as well as the nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway.[27] Both the MAPK and nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathways are critically involved in the pathogenesis of UC due to the abundant release of cytokines and inflammatory mediators upon their activation.[28]