Fig. 4. Combinatorial control of kinases facilitates stimulus specificity.
Engagement of TNFRSFs activates pathways leading to the activation of ERK, JNK, p38, IKK2, and IKK1. Phosphorylation of downstream effectors induces a transcriptional program. Some genes require a synergistic function of several transcription factors and may thus be transcribed in a stimulus-specific manner. Specificity can also be achieved post-transcriptionally through p38-dependent regulation of mRNA stability.