Co-activation of HER2 and MKP1 in HER2+ and HER2− breast cancer tissues and radioresistant HER+ breast cancer stem cells (HER2+ BCSCs). A, The co-expression of HER2 and MKP1 in a panel of paired human normal and tumor breast tissues (N = tumor surrounding normal breast tissue). B, The expression of MKP1, pMKP1 (S359) and HER2 in clinically diagnosed breast cancer patients with differential HER2 status. C, MKP1 expression levels in HER2+/CD44+/CD24− and HER2−/CD44+/CD24− breast cancer stem cells (HER2+ BCSCs and HER2− BCSCs) that were live-sorted from MCF7/C6 cells according to Duru et al. (22). D, Clonogenic survival of HER2-positive breast CSCs with or without MKP1 siRNA transfection (n=3, **p<0.01).