DUSP2 belongs to the sub-family of nuclear specific DUSPs that includes DUSP1, 4 and 5. DUSP2 is highly expressed in immune cells, in particular, of patients with inflammatory arthritis, such as in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and Dusp2 knockout mice present a significant reduction in inflammatory responses. It has been demonstrated that DUSP2 is a downstream target of the tumor suppressor p53 that is required for the cellular response to oxidative stress. DUSP2 is also involved in transcription factor E2F1-mediated apoptotic signaling. Like other members of the DUSP family, DUSP2 interacts with MAPKs; However, the target protein for its phosphatase activity is controversial.