Role of MAPK and JNK Signaling Pathways in Skin Cancer Progression and Therapeutic Approach

© 2024 by the Authors. Licensee Whioce Publishing, Singapore. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )

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Abstract

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathways exhibit complex signal transduction pathways that modulate multiple processes and the deregulated form of MAPK is involved in many types of cancers including skin cancer. These signaling pathways regulate cellular processes such as differentiation, inflammation, cell proliferation, and survival. Moreover, MAPKs are crucial signaling pathways in regulating various cellular processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. Their dysregulation is commonly observed in cancer, making them attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. The critical mechanisms and pathways of MAPKs and JNKs in skin cancer including basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma are summarized in this review. In addition to providing new insights into MAPK and JNK pathways in cancer progression and proliferation, we also offered the significance of the mechanism of JNK in drug resistance and the association of KLF4 in influencing JNKs for future endeavors to be targeted as therapeutic approaches as understanding the molecular aspects of these signaling pathways are crucial for novel therapeutic breakthroughs.

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