Previous clinical research investigating podocyte apoptosis and the role of the MAPK signaling pathway in DKD has primarily focused on the initiation of the MAPK cascade (MEKK/JNK and its phosphorylation) and the detection of apoptotic phenotypes (expression of Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase-3) [56]. Here, MAPK8 is linked to diabetic kidney disease.