title: Expression analysis of glycogen synthase kinase-3 in human tissues.
abstract: Human glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a multisubstrate, proline-directed kinase that phosphorylates tau, beta-amyloid and neurofilaments. In this study, the expression levels of the two GSK-3 isoforms, alpha and beta, RNA and proteins in different human tissues were examined. Northern analysis demonstrated that GSK-3alpha is encoded by a 2.6-kb mRNA and GSK-3beta by 8.3- and 2.8-kb mRNAs. The two GSK-3beta mRNA species were variably expressed in different tissues. Northern and quantitative polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that both GSK-3alpha and GSK-3beta mRNA were prominently expressed in testis, thymus, prostate and ovary but were low in adult lung and kidney. Western blot analysis showed that the 51-kDa GSK-3alpha protein was highly expressed in lung, ovary, kidney and testis, whereas the 46-kDa GSK-3beta protein was highly expressed in lung, kidney and brain. The differential expression of GSK-3alpha and GSK-3beta mRNA and proteins and the lack of relationship between transcription and translation in some tissues indicate that GSK-3alpha and GSK-3beta are subject to different means of regulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin.
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Anderton
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Shaw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; D038341:Glycogen Synthase Kinases; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D007527:Isoenzymes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D038341:Glycogen Synthase Kinases; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3