title: Inhibition of Wnt and PI3K signaling modulates GSK-3beta activity and induces morphological changes in cortical neurons: role of tau phosphorylation.
abstract: Glycogen synthase kinase GSK-3beta has been identified as one of the major candidates mediating tau hyperphosphorylation at the same sites as those present in tau protein in brain from Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. However, the signal transduction pathways involved in the abnormal activation of GSK-3beta, have not been completely elucidated. GSK-3beta activity is repressed by the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, but it is also modulated through the PI3K/Akt route. Recent studies have suggested that Wnt signaling might be involved in the pathophysiology of AD. On the other hand, modulators of the PI3K pathway might be reduced during aging leading to a sustained activation of GSK-3beta, which in turn would increase the risk of tau hyperphosphorylation. The role of Wnt and PI3K signaling inhibition on the extent of tau phosphorylation and neuronal morphology has not been completely elucidated. Thus, in the present investigation we analyzed the effects of different negative modulators of the Wnt and the PI3K pathways on GSK-3beta activation and phosphorylation of tau at the PHF-1 epitope in cortical cultured neurons and hippocampal slices from adult rat brain. Changes in the microtubule network were also studied. We found that a variety of Wnt and PI3K inhibitors, significantly increased tau phosphorylation at the PHF-1 site, induced the disarrangement of the microtubule network and the accumulation of tau within cell bodies. These changes correlated with alterations in neuronal morphology.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, P.O. Box AP 70-228, Mexico, DF, 04510, Mexico.
authors.forename: Octavio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mercado-Gómez
authors.forename: Karla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hernández-Fonseca
authors.forename: Alexa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villavicencio-Queijeiro
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Massieu
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chimal-Monroy
authors.forename: Clorinda
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arias
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000730:Androstadienes / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D048430:Cell Shape; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077191:Wortmannin; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099274:Frizzled-Related Proteins; D000094742:Secreted Frizzled-Related Proteins
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D006023:Glycoproteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D000077191:Wortmannin; D016875:tau Proteins; D000099274:Frizzled-Related Proteins; C504124:FZD8 protein, rat; C503650:Sfrp2 protein, rat; D000094742:Secreted Frizzled-Related Proteins; C000605506:GSK3B protein, human; C000605508:Gsk3b protein, rat