Myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2), transcription factors and mitogen-activated protein
kinase (MAPK) p38 are regulators of cardiac development and various pathophysiologic
processes. The recent finding that p38 can directly regulate MEF2 transcription factors
suggests a novel mechanism for reprogramming cardiac gene expression in response to
neuroendocrine and/or stress stimulation. This review weighs the accumulating evidence for
a p38 MAPK-MEF2 signal transduction cascade and discusses its role in cardiac myocyte …