Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 4, 2026

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants
07:38

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants

Published on: June 6, 2025

951

The 2 Faces of JNK Signaling in Cancer

Cathy Tournier1

  • 1University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.

Genes & Cancer
|December 19, 2013
PubMed

Insights

c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling initially appeared to promote cancer. However, conflicting results from mouse models reveal JNK can also suppress tumors, offering new insights into cancer signaling pathways.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology
  • Cell Signaling

Background:

  • c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylates c-Jun at key sites, enhancing its activity and cooperation with Ha-ras in oncogenic transformation.
  • Initially, JNK was considered a positive regulator of cellular transformation due to its role in stimulating c-Jun activity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the conflicting findings regarding JNK's role in cancer.
  • To explore how these unexpected results advance the understanding of JNK signaling in oncogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of jnk gene deletion in various mouse cancer models.
  • Review of existing literature on JNK signaling and cancer.

Main Results:

  • Studies show conflicting roles for JNK in cancer, with evidence supporting both pro-oncogenic and tumor-suppressive functions.
  • Mouse models yield divergent outcomes regarding JNK's impact on cancer progression.

Conclusions:

  • The dual role of JNK in cancer necessitates a re-evaluation of its signaling pathways.
  • Conflicting data on JNK function provides novel hypotheses for cancer research.
Keywords:
JNKMAPKMKKRasc-Juncancer

More Related Videos

Identification of Transcription Factor Regulators using Medium-Throughput Screening of Arrayed Libraries and a Dual-Luciferase-Based Reporter11:32

Identification of Transcription Factor Regulators using Medium-Throughput Screening of Arrayed Libraries and a Dual-Luciferase-Based Reporter

Published on: March 27, 2020

6.5K
Tumor Allotransplantation in Drosophila melanogaster with a Programmable Auto-Nanoliter Injector05:06

Tumor Allotransplantation in Drosophila melanogaster with a Programmable Auto-Nanoliter Injector

Published on: February 2, 2021

2.0K

Related Concept Videos

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
4.7K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
3.6K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

1.5K
MAPK Signaling Cascades01:07

MAPK Signaling Cascades

Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
7.3K
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a...
5.1K
The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway01:20

The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway

Several cytokine receptors have tightly bound Janus kinase or JAK proteins attached at their cytosolic tail. Small signaling molecules such as cytokines, growth hormones, or prolactins bind to the cytokine receptors and initiate their dimerization. The dimerization brings the cytosolic JAKs together that trans-phosphorylate and activates each other. The activated JAKs now phosphorylate cytosolic tails of the cytokine receptors, which serve as binding sites for adaptor proteins such as  SH2...
10.2K