[ASK1-MAP kinase signaling pathway as a therapeutic target for human diseases].

Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) is a serine/threonine kinase belonging to the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase kinase family. ASK1 is activated in response to various stresses, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and plays pivotal roles in a wide variety of cellular responses, including cell death, differentiation and inflammation. Recent studies have shown that ASK1-MAPK signaling pathway has key roles in human diseases induced by the dysfunction of cellular stress responses. In this review, we provide an overview of the current understanding of ASK1 as a potential therapeutic target for human diseases.