A reported study showed that HOXC10 promotes gastric cancer cell migration and invasion and enhances the activity of NF-κB pathway.52 HOXC10 also upregulates the phosphorylation levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinase ERK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38.16 The NF-κB, ERK and p38 pathways are also the main downstream pathways of NOD1.28 The working patterns of NOD1 and downstream pathways are similar to those of HOXC10 and downstream pathways. Here, MAPK8 is linked to gastric cancer.