WNK2 and infection: Furthermore, immunoblot assays of proteins from heart tissues showed that sleep deprivation triggered the activation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathways, indicated by the increased phosphorylation of P65 and ERK, which suggested that SD treatment not only led to changes in the structure of the heart, but also influenced immune function, making mice more susceptible to infection by external viruses.