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Sai Varshini M, Aishwarya Reddy R, Thaggikuppe Krishnamurthy P. Unlocking hope: GSK-3 inhibitors and Wnt pathway activation in Alzheimer's therapy. J Drug Target 2024; 32:909-917. [PMID: 38838023 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2024.2365263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder characterised by progressive cognitive decline and the accumulation of amyloid-β plaques and tau tangles. The Wnt signalling pathway known for its crucial role in neurodevelopment and adult neurogenesis has emerged as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in AD. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β), a key regulator of the Wnt pathway, plays a pivotal role in AD pathogenesis by promoting tau hyperphosphorylation and neuroinflammation. Several preclinical studies have demonstrated that inhibiting GSK-3β leads to the activation of Wnt pathway thereby promoting neuroprotective effects, and mitigating cognitive deficits in AD animal models. The modulation of Wnt signalling appears to have multifaceted benefits including the reduction of amyloid-β production, tau hyperphosphorylation, enhancement of synaptic plasticity, and inhibition of neuroinflammation. These findings suggest that targeting GSK-3β to activate Wnt pathway may represent a novel approach for slowing or halting the progression of AD. This hypothesis reviews the current state of research exploring the activation of Wnt pathway through the inhibition of GSK-3β as a promising therapeutic strategy in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magham Sai Varshini
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Ooty, India
| | - Ramakkamma Aishwarya Reddy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Ooty, India
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Yadav R, Patel B. Insights on effects of Wnt pathway modulation on insulin signaling and glucose homeostasis for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus: Wnt activation or Wnt inhibition? Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 261:129634. [PMID: 38272413 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major worldwide chronic disease and can lead to serious diabetic complications. Despite the availability of many anti-diabetic agents in the market, they are unable to meet the long-term treatment goals. Also, they cause many side effects which justify the need for novel class of anti-diabetic drugs with newer mechanism of action. Wnt signaling is one of such novel target pathways which can be explored for metabolic disorders. Many key components of the Wnt signaling are involved in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. Polymorphism in the Transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene, and mutations in the LRP5 (LDL Receptor Related Protein 5) gene lead to disturbed glucose metabolism and obesity. Despite of several years of research in this field, there is no concrete proof of concept available on whether Wnt activation or Wnt inhibition is the beneficial approach for the treatment of T2DM. Here, we have summarized the conclusions of relevant published research studies to give structured insights into possibilities to explore Wnt modulation as a novel target pathway for the treatment of T2DM. The review also highlights the present challenges and future opportunities towards the development of anti-diabetic small molecules targeting the Wnt signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchi Yadav
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382481, India
| | - Bhumika Patel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382481, India.
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Silva-García O, Cortés-Vieyra R, Mendoza-Ambrosio FN, Ramírez-Galicia G, Baizabal-Aguirre VM. GSK3α: An Important Paralog in Neurodegenerative Disorders and Cancer. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E1683. [PMID: 33339170 PMCID: PMC7765659 DOI: 10.3390/biom10121683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The biological activity of the enzyme glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) is fulfilled by two paralogs named GSK3α and GSK3β, which possess both redundancy and specific functions. The upregulated activity of these proteins is linked to the development of disorders such as neurodegenerative disorders (ND) and cancer. Although various chemical inhibitors of these enzymes restore the brain functions in models of ND such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), and reduce the proliferation and survival of cancer cells, the particular contribution of each paralog to these effects remains unclear as these molecules downregulate the activity of both paralogs with a similar efficacy. Moreover, given that GSK3 paralogs phosphorylate more than 100 substrates, the simultaneous inhibition of both enzymes has detrimental effects during long-term inhibition. Although the GSK3β kinase function has usually been taken as the global GSK3 activity, in the last few years, a growing interest in the study of GSK3α has emerged because several studies have recognized it as the main GSK3 paralog involved in a variety of diseases. This review summarizes the current biological evidence on the role of GSK3α in AD and various types of cancer. We also provide a discussion on some strategies that may lead to the design of the paralog-specific inhibition of GSK3α.
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Affiliation(s)
- Octavio Silva-García
- Departamento de Química Teórica, Universidad del Papaloapan, Oaxaca 68301, Mexico; (F.N.M.-A.); (G.R.-G.)
| | - Ricarda Cortés-Vieyra
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Michoacán, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Michoacán 58000, Mexico;
| | | | - Guillermo Ramírez-Galicia
- Departamento de Química Teórica, Universidad del Papaloapan, Oaxaca 68301, Mexico; (F.N.M.-A.); (G.R.-G.)
| | - Víctor M. Baizabal-Aguirre
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Michoacán 58893, Mexico
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Peng X, Fan S, Tan J, Zeng Z, Su M, Zhang Y, Yang M, Xia L, Fan X, Cai W, Tang WH. Wnt2bb Induces Cardiomyocyte Proliferation in Zebrafish Hearts via the jnk1/c-jun/creb1 Pathway. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:323. [PMID: 32523947 PMCID: PMC7261892 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated that inhibition of canonical Wnt signaling promotes zebrafish heart regeneration and that treatment of injured heart tissue with the Wnt activator 6-bromo-indirubin-3-oxime (BIO) can impede cardiomyocyte proliferation. However, the mechanism by which Wnt signaling regulates downstream gene expression following heart injury remains unknown. In this study, we have demonstrated that inhibition of injury-induced myocardial wnt2bb and jnk1/creb1/c-jun signaling impedes heart repair following apex resection. The expression of jnk1, creb1, and c-jun were inhibited in wnt2bb dominant negative (dn) mutant hearts and elevated in wnt2bb-overexpresssing hearts following ventricular amputation. The overexpression of creb1 sufficiently rescued the dn-wnt2bb-induced phenotype of reduced nkx2.5 expression and attenuated heart regeneration. In addition, wnt2bb/jnk1/c-jun/creb1 signaling was increased in Tg(hsp70l:dkk1) transgenic fish, whereas it was inhibited in Tg(hsp70l:wnt8) transgenic fish, indicating that canonical Wnt and non-canonical Wnt antagonize each other to regulate heart regeneration. Overall, the results of our study demonstrate that the wnt2bb-mediated jnk1/c-jun/creb1 non-canonical Wnt pathway regulates cardiomyocyte proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangwen Peng
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Centre, Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shunyang Fan
- Heart Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jing Tan
- Guangdong Engineering & Technology Research Center for Disease-Model Animals, Laboratary Animal Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhi Zeng
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Centre, Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Meiling Su
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Centre, Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Centre, Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming Yang
- Guangdong Engineering & Technology Research Center for Disease-Model Animals, Laboratary Animal Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Luoxing Xia
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Centre, Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuejiao Fan
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Centre, Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weibin Cai
- Guangdong Engineering & Technology Research Center for Disease-Model Animals, Laboratary Animal Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wai Ho Tang
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Centre, Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a cytoplasmic serine/threonine protein kinase which is known to regulate a variety of cellular processes through a number of signaling pathways important for cell proliferation, stem cell renewal, apoptosis and development. Although GSK-3 exists in a variety of tissues, this kinase plays very important roles in the heart to control its development through the formation of heart and cardiomyocyte proliferation. GSK-3 is also recognized as one of the main molecules that control cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. Therefore, GSK-3 could be an attractive target for the development of new drugs to cure cardiac diseases. The present review summarizes the roles of GSK-3 in the signaling pathways and the heart, and discusses the possibility of new drug development targeting this kinase.
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Cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of GSK-3β leads to cardiac dysfunction in a diet induced obesity model. Int J Cardiol 2018; 259:145-152. [PMID: 29398139 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2018.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE Obesity, an independent risk factor for the development of myocardial diseases is a growing healthcare problem worldwide. It's well established that GSK-3β is critical to cardiac pathophysiology. However, the role cardiomyocyte (CM) GSK-3β in diet-induced cardiac dysfunction is unknown. METHODS CM-specific GSK-3β knockout (CM-GSK-3β-KO) and littermate controls (WT) mice were fed either a control diet (CD) or high-fat diet (HFD) for 55weeks. Cardiac function was assessed by transthoracic echocardiography. RESULTS At baseline, body weights and cardiac function were comparable between the WT and CM-GSK-3β-KOs. However, HFD-fed CM-GSK-3β-KO mice developed severe cardiac dysfunction. Consistently, both heart weight/tibia length and lung weight/tibia length were significantly elevated in the HFD-fed CM-GSK-3β-KO mice. The impaired cardiac function and adverse ventricular remodeling in the CM-GSK-3β-KOs were independent of body weight or the lean/fat mass composition as HFD-fed CM-GSK-3β-KO and controls demonstrated comparable body weight and body masses. At the molecular level, on a CD, CM-GSK-3α compensated for the loss of CM-GSK-3β, as evident by significantly reduced GSK-3αs21 phosphorylation (activation) resulting in a preserved canonical β-catenin ubiquitination pathway and cardiac function. However, this protective compensatory mechanism is lost with HFD, leading to excessive accumulation of β-catenin in HFD-fed CM-GSK-3β-KO hearts, resulting in adverse ventricular remodeling and cardiac dysfunction. CONCLUSION In summary, these results suggest that cardiac GSK-3β is crucial to protect against obesity-induced adverse ventricular remodeling and cardiac dysfunction.
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GSK-3 Inhibitors: Anti-Diabetic Treatment Associated with Cardiac Risk? : Editorial to: "The Impact of Chronic Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 Inhibition on Remodeling of Normal and Pre-Diabetic Rat Hearts." by Barbara Huisamen et al. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 2017; 30:233-5. [PMID: 27311575 DOI: 10.1007/s10557-016-6669-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Webster I, Salie R, Marais E, Fan WJ, Maarman G, Huisamen B, Lochner A. Myocardial susceptibility to ischaemia/reperfusion in obesity: a re-evaluation of the effects of age. BMC PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 17:3. [PMID: 28302152 PMCID: PMC5356245 DOI: 10.1186/s12899-017-0030-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background Reports on the effect of age and obesity on myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and ischaemic preconditioning are contradictory. The aim of this study was to re-evaluate the effects of age and diet-induced obesity (DIO) on myocardial I/R injury and preconditioning potential. Methods Four groups of Wistar male rats were used: age-matched controls (AMC) receiving standard rat chow for (i) 16 weeks and (ii) 16 months respectively; DIO rats receiving a sucrose-supplemented diet for (iii) 16 weeks and (iv) 16 months respectively. The ages of groups (i) and (iii) were 22 weeks (“young”) and groups (ii) and (iv) 17 months (“middle-aged”) at time of experimentation. Isolated perfused working hearts were subjected to 35 min regional ischaemia/1 h reperfusion. Endpoints were infarct size (tetrazolium staining) and functional recovery. Hearts were preconditioned by 3 × 5 min ischaemia/5 min reperfusion. Results were processed using GraphPad Prism statistical software. Results Age did not affect baseline heart function before induction of ischaemia and I/R damage as indicated by infarct size and similar values were obtained in hearts from both age groups. Age also had no effect on functional recovery of hearts during reperfusion after regional ischaemia in AMC rats, but cardiac output during reperfusion was better in hearts from middle-aged than young DIO rats. The diet reduced infarct size in hearts from young rats (% of area at risk: AMC: 32.4 ± 3.6; DIO: 20.7 ± 2.9, p < 0.05), with no differences in hearts from middle-aged rats (AMC: 24.6 ± 4.6; DIO: 28.3 ± 13.5, p = NS). Compared to their respective AMC, diet-induced obesity had no significant effect on functional recovery of hearts from both age groups after exposure to regional ischaemia. When exposed to the more severe stress of global ischaemia, the functional recovery potential of middle-aged DIO rats appeared to be impeded compared to hearts of young DIO rats, while age had no effect on the functional recovery of AMC hearts. Preconditioning reduced infarct size in hearts from young control rats and both middle-aged groups, but not from young DIO rats. Age had a significant effect on functional recovery in preconditioning: it was improved in hearts from young control and DIO rats, but depressed in both middle-aged groups. Conclusions The data showed that middle-age and obesity had no effect on baseline myocardial function and did not increase susceptibility to I/R damage upon exposure to regional ischaemia. On the contrary, obesity reduced I/R damage in young rats. Preconditioned aging hearts showed a decreased infarct size, but a reduction in functional recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Webster
- Division of Medical Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - R Salie
- Division of Medical Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - E Marais
- Division of Medical Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - W-J Fan
- Division of Medical Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - G Maarman
- Division of Medical Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - B Huisamen
- Division of Medical Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa.,Biotechnology and Innovation Platform of the SA Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - A Lochner
- Division of Medical Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
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Stylianidis V, Hermans KCM, Blankesteijn WM. Wnt Signaling in Cardiac Remodeling and Heart Failure. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2017; 243:371-393. [PMID: 27838851 DOI: 10.1007/164_2016_56] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Wnt signaling plays an essential role during development, but is also activated in diseases as diverse as neurodegeneration, osteoporosis, and cancer. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that Wnt signaling is also activated during cardiac remodeling and heart failure. In this chapter, we will provide a brief overview of Wnt signaling in all its complexity. Then we will discuss the evidence for its involvement in the development of cardiac hypertrophy, the wound healing after myocardial infarction (MI) and heart failure. Finally, we will provide an overview of the drugs that are available to target Wnt signaling at different levels of the signaling cascade and the results of these pharmacological interventions in cardiac disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasili Stylianidis
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Kevin C M Hermans
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - W Matthijs Blankesteijn
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
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