The expression of mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK)‐related proteins (A, ERK, B, P38, C, JNK) was analyzed by western blot. In three independent experiments, TCMK‐1 cells were exposed to 450 μmol/L cobalt nanoparticles (CoNPs) for 4 h. CoNPs activated the MAPK pathway in TCMK‐1 cells. NAC (2 mmol/L) effectively inhibited the activation of p‐ERK, p‐p38, and p‐JNK.