Home
Resources
Publications
Glia Maturation Factor Overexpression in Neuroblastoma Cells Activates Glycogen Synthase kinase-3beta and caspase-3

Glia Maturation Factor Overexpression in Neuroblastoma Cells Activates Glycogen Synthase kinase-3beta and caspase-3

Asgar Zaheer, Scott Knight, Ashna Zaheer, Marcus Ahrens, Shailendra K Sahu, Baoli Yang

Brain Res. 2008 Jan 23;1190:206-14.

PMID: 18054898

Abstract:

In the present study we report that a replication-defective adenovirus construct of GMF cDNA (GMF-V) induced overexpression of GMF protein in neuroblastoma (N18) cells caused cytotoxicity and loss of cell viability. A significant increase in activation of GSK-3beta occurred after infection with GMF-V when compared with mock and lacZ controls. Overexpression of GMF also increased caspase-3 activity, an early marker of apoptosis. Depletion of GMF gene by introducing GMF-specific siRNA (GsiRNA) completely blocked both activation of GSK-3beta and caspase-3 activation whereas a control scrambled siRNA (CsiRNA) had no effect. A cell-permeable peptide inhibitor of GSK-3beta, and lithium completely prevented GMF-dependent activation of caspase-3. These results demonstrate that GSK-3 mediates activation of the death domain caspase by GMF overexpression. We also show that the phosphorylation of GSK-3-dependent site of Tau was a consequence of GMF-overexpression in N18 cells. Taken together our results imply that GMF is involved in the signaling leading to the activation of GSK-3beta and caspase-3 in N18 cells and strongly suggest its involvement in neurodegeneration since GSK-3beta is known to hyperphosphorylate tau which is associated with the neurotoxicity of neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer's disease.

Chemicals Related in the Paper:

Catalog Number	Product Name	Structure	CAS Number	Price
IAR42415402	GSK-3β Peptide Inhibitor, Cell-permeable			Price

As a specialist in analytical chemical Products, Alfa Chemistry offers consumers a wealth of raw materials and a full range of technologies and services.

QUICK LINKS

HEADQUARTERS

Tel:

Fax:

Email: