GSK-3 Mouse Models to Study Neuronal Apoptosis and Neurodegeneration.

Increased GSK-3activityis believed to contribute to the etiology ofchronic disorders likeAlzheimer’sdisease(AD),schizophrenia,diabetes,andsometypesofcancer,thus supporting therapeutic potential ofGSK-3inhibitors.Numerous mouse models with modified GSK-3have been generated in order to study the physi...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Gómez-Sintes, Raquel, Hernández Pérez, Félix, Lucas, José Javier, Ávila, Jesús
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2011
Country:España
Institution:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repository:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/127754
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/127754
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Neurodegenerative disorders
Alzheimer’s disease
GSK-3, apoptosis
Mouse models
Description
Summary:Increased GSK-3activityis believed to contribute to the etiology ofchronic disorders likeAlzheimer’sdisease(AD),schizophrenia,diabetes,andsometypesofcancer,thus supporting therapeutic potential ofGSK-3inhibitors.Numerous mouse models with modified GSK-3have been generated in order to study the physiology of GSK-3,its implication in diverse pathologies and the potential effect of GSK- 3inhibitors.In this review we have focused on the relevance of these mouse models for the study of the role of GSK-3 in apoptosis.GSK-3 s involved in two apoptotic pathways,intrinsic and extrinsic pathways,and plays opposite roles depending on the apoptotic signaling process that is activated.It promotes celldeath when acting through intrinsic pathway and plays an anti- apoptotic role if the extrinsi cpathway i soccurring. Itisimportant to dissect this duality since,among the diseases in which GSK-3is involved,excessive cell death is crucial in some illnesseslike neurodegenerative diseases,while a deficient apoptosis is occurring in others such as cancerorautoimmune diseases.Theclinical application of aclassicalGSK-3 inhibitor,lithium,is limited by its toxic consequences,including motorside effects.Recently,the mechanism leadingto activation of apoptosis following chronic lithium administration has been described.Understanding this mechanism could help tominimize side effects andto improve application of GSK-3inhibitors to the treatmentof AD and to extend the application to other diseases.