title: Inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK-3 by CaMKII couples depolarization to neuronal survival.
abstract: Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) plays a critical role in neuronal apoptosis. The two mammalian isoforms of the kinase, GSK-3α and GSK-3β, are inhibited by phosphorylation at Ser-21 and Ser-9, respectively. Depolarization, which is vital for neuronal survival, causes both an increase in Ser-21/9 phosphorylation and an inhibition of GSK-3α/β. However, the role of GSK-3 phosphorylation in depolarization-dependent neuron survival and the signaling pathway contributing to GSK-3 phosphorylation during depolarization remain largely unknown. Using several approaches, we showed that both isoforms of GSK-3 are important for mediating neuronal apoptosis. Nonphosphorylatable GSK-3α/β mutants (S21A/S9A) promoted apoptosis, whereas a peptide encompassing Ser-9 of GSK-3β protected neurons in a phosphorylation-dependent manner; these results indicate a critical role for Ser-21/9 phosphorylation on depolarization-dependent neuron survival. We found that Ser-21/9 phosphorylation of GSK-3 was mediated by Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) but not by Akt/PKB, PKA, or p90(RSK). CaMKII associated with and phosphorylated GSK-3α/β. Furthermore, the pro-survival effect of CaMKII was mediated by GSK-3 phosphorylation and inactivation. These findings identify a novel Ca(2+)/calmodulin/CaMKII/GSK-3 pathway that couples depolarization to neuronal survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Bingquan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Zhihao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yuying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jingyan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Woodgett
authors.forename: Mingtao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000502:physiology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002147:Calmodulin; C000605506:GSK3B protein, human; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; C000605508:Gsk3b protein, rat; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; C448021:glycogen synthase kinase 3 alpha; D002118:Calcium