Table 1.
p38 family members and their functions in inflammatory responses.
| p38 isoform (molecular weight, kDa) | Distribution in tissue | Expressing cells | Inflammatory responses | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| p38α (38) | Ubiquitous | Macrophages, neutrophils | Cytokine production (IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6); regulation of enzymes (iNOS, COX2); involvement of cell proliferation and differentiation; induction of cardiomyocyte apoptosis. | [21, 27, 73] |
|
| ||||
| p38β (39) | Ubiquitous | Endothelial cells, T cells | Regulation of cell differentiation; induction of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. | [21, 27, 73] |
|
| ||||
| p38γ (43) | Skeletal muscle | Not detected | Muscle differentiation. | [25, 27, 73] |
|
| ||||
| p38δ (40) | Lung, kidney, testis, pancreas, and small intestine | T cells, endothelial cells, and macrophages | Developmentally regulated; involvement of cell differentiation. | [26, 27, 73] |