P38 MAPK and Radiotherapy: Foes or Friends?
by
, , , and
Natalia García-Flores
1,†,
Jaime Jiménez-Suárez
1,†,
Cristina Garnés-García
1,†,
Diego M. Fernández-Aroca
1,†,
Sebastia Sabater
1,2,
Ignacio Andrés
1,2,
Antonio Fernández-Aramburo
1,3,
María José Ruiz-Hidalgo
1,4,
Borja Belandia
5,
Ricardo Sanchez-Prieto
1,5,6,* and
Francisco J. Cimas
1,4,* 1
Laboratorio de Oncología Molecular, Unidad de Medicina Molecular, Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Unidad Asociada de Biomedicina UCLM, Unidad Asociada al CSIC, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02008 Albacete, Spain
2
Servicio de Oncología Radioterápica, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, 02006 Albacete, Spain
3
Servicio de Oncología Médica, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, 02006 Albacete, Spain
4
Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Orgánica y Bioquímica, Área de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02008 Albacete, Spain
5
Departamento de Biología del Cáncer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas ‘Alberto Sols’ (CSIC-UAM), Unidad Asociada de Biomedicina UCLM, Unidad Asociada al CSIC, 28029 Madrid, Spain
6
Departamento de Ciencias Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02008 Albacete, Spain
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Cancers 2023, 15(3), 861; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15030861
Submission received: 3 December 2022
/
Revised: 16 January 2023
/
Accepted: 24 January 2023
/
Published: 30 January 2023
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Combating Tumor Radioresistance)
Simple Summary
p38 MAPKs comprise a family of key proteins that regulate the stress response of human cells, controlling relevant biological phenomena such as the cell cycle. As a result, their role in the cellular response to ionizing radiation and radiotherapy is crucial. In this review, we provide in-depth insights into what is known about the whole protein family’s role in response to radiation and the implications for radiotherapy.
Abstract
Over the last 30 years, the study of the cellular response to ionizing radiation (IR) has increased exponentially. Among the various signaling pathways affected by IR, p38 MAPK has been shown to be activated both in vitro and in vivo, with involvement in key processes triggered by IR-mediated genotoxic insult, such as the cell cycle, apoptosis or senescence. However, we do not yet have a definitive clue about the role of p38 MAPK in terms of radioresistance/sensitivity and its potential use to improve current radiotherapy. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on this family of MAPKs in response to IR as well as in different aspects related to radiotherapy, such as their role in the control of REDOX, fibrosis, and in the radiosensitizing effect of several compounds.
Keywords:
p38 MAPK; radiation; radiotherapy; MAPK14; cell cycle
