mitogen activated protein kinase 8; Responds to activation by environmental stress and pro- inflammatory cytokines by phosphorylating a number of transcription factors, primarily components of AP-1 such as JUN, JDP2 and ATF2 and thus regulates AP-1 transcriptional activity. In T-cells, JNK1 and JNK2 are required for polarized differentiation of T-helper cells into Th1 cells. Phosphorylates heat shock factor protein 4 (HSF4) (By similarity) (427 aa)