N-terminal cleavage of GSK-3 by calpain: a new form of GSK-3 regulation

Although GSK-3 activity can be regulated by phosphorylation and through interaction with GSK-3-binding proteins, here we describe N-terminal proteolysis as a novel way to regulate GSK-3. When brain extracts were exposed to calcium, GSK-3 was truncated, generating two fragments of approximately 40 and 30 kDa, a proteolytic process that was inhibited by specific calpain inhibitors. Interestingly, instead of inhibiting this enzyme, GSK-3 truncation augmented its kinase activity. When we digested recombinant GSK-3 alpha and GSK-3beta protein with calpain, each isoform was cleaved differently, yet the truncated GSK-3 isoforms were still active kinases. We also found that lithium, a GSK-3 inhibitor, inhibits full-length and cleaved GSK-3 isoforms with the same IC(50) value. Calpain removed the N-terminal ends of His-tagged GSK-3 isoenzymes, and exposing cultured cortical neurons with ionomycin, glutamate, or N-methyl-d-aspartate led to the truncation of GSK-3. This truncation was blocked by the calpain inhibitor calpeptin, at the same concentration at which it inhibits calpain-mediated cleavage of NMDAR-2B and of p35 (the regulatory subunit of CDK5). Together, our data demonstrate that calpain activation produces a truncation of GSK-3 that removes an N-terminal inhibitory domain. Furthermore, we show that GSK-3 alpha and GSK-3beta isoenzymes have a different susceptibility to this cleavage, suggesting a means to specifically regulate these isoenzymes. These data provide the first direct evidence that calpain promotes GSK-3 truncation in a way that has implications in signal transduction, and probably in pathological disorders such as Alzheimer disease.     

Regulation of the interaction between glycogen synthase kinase 3 and the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus latency-associated nuclear antigen

The Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)-encoded latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) protein stabilizes beta-catenin by the novel mechanism of binding to the negative regulator, glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3), and depleting cytoplasmic GSK-3 levels. The two domains of LANA required for interaction with GSK-3 were further characterized. Evidence for similarity between the C-terminal LANA interaction domain and the axin GSK-3 interaction domain was obtained using GSK-3 and LANA mutants. GSK-3(F291L), which does not interact with axin, also failed to bind to LANA, and a mutation in the axin homology domain of LANA, L1132P, destroyed binding to GSK-3. The N-terminal LANA interaction domain was found to mediate interaction by acting as a substrate for GSK-3. GSK-3(R96A), a priming pocket mutant, did not bind to LANA, suggesting that LANA was a primed GSK-3 substrate. Phosphorylation of endogenous LANA precipitated from primary effusion lymphoma cells was inhibited by the GSK-3 inhibitor LiCl. GST-LANA(1-340) was phosphorylated by GSK-3, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and casein kinase I functioned as priming kinases in vitro. Mutation of consensus GSK-3 sites revealed that sites between LANA amino acids 219 and 268 were important for GSK-3 phosphorylation. Immunoprecipitation assays revealed that loss of GSK-3 phosphorylation of this N-terminal domain correlated with loss of GSK-3 interaction. Although LANA-associated GSK-3 actively phosphorylated LANA, GSK-3 coprecipitated with LANA was unable to phosphorylate an exogenous peptide substrate. LANA sequestration of GSK-3 may explain the ability of KSHV-infected cells to tolerate increased levels of nuclear GSK-3.     

Glycogen synthase kinase-3beta induces neuronal cell death via direct phosphorylation of mixed lineage kinase 3

Mixed lineage kinase 3 (MLK3) is a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase member that activates the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. Aberrant activation of MLK3 has been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. Similarly, glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3beta has also been shown to activate JNK and contribute to neuronal apoptosis. Here, we show a functional interaction between MLK3 and GSK-3beta during nerve growth factor (NGF) withdrawal-induced cell death in PC-12 cells. The protein kinase activities of GSK-3beta, MLK3, and JNK were increased upon NGF withdrawal, which paralleled increased cell death in NGF-deprived PC-12 cells. NGF withdrawal-induced cell death and MLK3 activation were blocked by a GSK-3beta-selective inhibitor, kenpaullone. However, the MLK family inhibitor, CEP-11004, although preventing PC-12 cell death, failed to inhibit GSK-3beta activation, indicating that induction of GSK-3beta lies upstream of MLK3. In GSK-3beta-deficient murine embryonic fibroblasts, ultraviolet light was unable to activate MLK3 kinase activity, a defect that was restored upon ectopic expression of GSK-3beta. The activation of MLK3 by GSK-3beta occurred via phosphorylation of MLK3 on two amino acid residues, Ser(789) and Ser(793), that are located within the C-terminal regulatory domain of MLK3. Furthermore, the cell death induced by GSK-3beta was mediated by MLK3 in a manner dependent on its phosphorylation of the specific residues within the C-terminal domain by GSK-3beta. Taken together, our data provide a direct link between GSK-3beta and MLK3 activation in a neuronal cell death pathway and identify MLK3 as a direct downstream target of GSK-3beta. Inhibition of GSK-3 is thus a potential therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases caused by trophic factor deprivation.     

The structure of phosphorylated GSK-3beta complexed with a peptide, FRATtide, that inhibits beta-catenin phosphorylation.

BACKGROUND: Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) sequentially phosphorylates four serine residues on glycogen synthase (GS), in the sequence SxxxSxxxSxxx-SxxxS(p), by recognizing and phosphorylating the first serine in the sequence motif SxxxS(P) (where S(p) represents a phosphoserine). FRATtide (a peptide derived from a GSK-3 binding protein) binds to GSK-3 and blocks GSK-3 from interacting with Axin. This inhibits the Axin-dependent phosphorylation of beta-catenin by GSK-3. RESULTS: Structures of uncomplexed Tyr216 phosphorylated GSK-3beta and of its complex with a peptide and a sulfate ion both show the activation loop adopting a conformation similar to that in the phosphorylated and active forms of the related kinases CDK2 and ERK2. The sulfate ion, adjacent to Val214 on the activation loop, represents the binding site for the phosphoserine residue on 'primed' substrates. The peptide FRATtide forms a helix-turn-helix motif in binding to the C-terminal lobe of the kinase domain; the FRATtide binding site is close to, but does not obstruct, the substrate binding channel of GSK-3. FRATtide (and FRAT1) does not inhibit the activity of GSK-3 toward GS. CONCLUSIONS: The Axin binding site on GSK-3 presumably overlaps with that for FRATtide; its proximity to the active site explains how Axin may act as a scaffold protein promoting beta-catenin phosphorylation. Tyrosine 216 phosphorylation can induce an active conformation in the activation loop. Pre-phosphorylated substrate peptides can be modeled into the active site of the enzyme, with the P1 residue occupying a pocket partially formed by phosphotyrosine 216 and the P4 phosphoserine occupying the 'primed' binding site.     

Regulation of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β and Downstream Wnt Signaling by Axin

Axin is a recently identified protein encoded by the fused locus in mice that is required for normal vertebrate axis formation. We have defined a 25-amino-acid sequence in axin that comprises the glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK-3beta) interaction domain (GID). In contrast to full-length axin, which has been shown to antagonize Wnt signaling, the GID inhibits GSK-3beta in vivo and activates Wnt signaling. Similarly, mutants of axin lacking key regulatory domains such as the RGS domain, which is required for interaction with the adenomatous polyposis coli protein, bind and inhibit GSK-3beta in vivo, suggesting that these domains are critical for proper regulation of GSK-3beta activity. We have identified a novel self-interaction domain in axin and have shown that formation of an axin regulatory complex in vivo is critical for axis formation and GSK-3beta activity. Based on these data, we propose that the axin complex may directly regulate GSK-3beta enzymatic activity in vivo. These observations also demonstrate that alternative inhibitors of GSK-3beta can mimic the effect of lithium in developing Xenopus embryos.     

The mood-stabilizing agent valproate inhibits the activity of glycogen synthase kinase-3

Valproic acid (VPA) is a potent broad-spectrum anti-epileptic with demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of bipolar affective disorder. It has previously been demonstrated that both VPA and lithium increase activator protein-1 (AP-1) DNA binding activity, but the mechanisms underlying these effects have not been elucidated. However, it is known that phosphorylation of c-jun by glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3beta inhibits AP-1 DNA binding activity, and lithium has recently been demonstrated to inhibit GSK-3beta. These results suggest that lithium may increase AP-1 DNA binding activity by inhibiting GSK-3beta. In the present study, we sought to determine if VPA, like lithium, regulates GSK-3. We have found that VPA concentration-dependently inhibits both GSK-3alpha and -3beta, with significant effects observed at concentrations of VPA similar to those attained clinically. Incubation of intact human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells with VPA results in an increase in the subsequent in vitro recombinant GSK-3beta-mediated 32P incorporation into two putative GSK-3 substrates (approximately 85 and 200 kDa), compatible with inhibition of endogenous GSK-3beta by VPA. Consistent with GSK-3beta inhibition, incubation of SH-SY5Y cells with VPA results in a significant time-dependent increase in both cytosolic and nuclear beta-catenin levels. GSK-3beta plays a critical role in the CNS by regulating various cytoskeletal processes as well as long-term nuclear events and is a common target for both lithium and VPA; inhibition of GSK-3beta in the CNS may thus underlie some of the long-term therapeutic effects of mood-stabilizing agents.     

Serine 332 phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 by glycogen synthase kinase-3 attenuates insulin signaling

The ability of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) to phosphorylate insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) is a potential inhibitory mechanism for insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. However, the serine site(s) phosphorylated by GSK-3 within IRS-1 had not been yet identified. Using an N-terminal deleted IRS-1 mutant and two IRS-1 fragments, PTB-1 1-320 and PTB-2 1-350, we localized GSK-3 phosphorylation site(s) within amino acid sequence 320-350. Mutations of serine 332 or 336, which lie in the GSK-3 consensus motif (SXXXS) within PTB-2 or IRS-1, to alanine abolished their phosphorylation by GSK-3. This suggested that Ser332 is a GSK-3 phosphorylation site and that Ser336 serves as the "priming" site typically required for GSK-3 action. Indeed, dephosphorylation of IRS-1 prevented GSK-3 phosphorylation. Furthermore, the phosphorylated peptide derived from the IRS-1 sequence was readily phosphorylated by GSK-3, in contrast to the nonphosphorylated peptide, which was not phosphorylated by the enzyme. When IRS-1 mutants S332A(IRS-1), S336A(IRS-1), or S332A/336A(IRS-1) were expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells overexpressing insulin receptors, their insulin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation levels increased compared with that of wild-type (WT) IRS-1. This effect was stronger in the double mutant S332A/336A(IRS-1) and led to enhanced insulin-mediated activation of protein kinase B. Finally, immunoblot analysis with polyclonal antibody directed against IRS-1 phosphorylated at Ser332 confirmed IRS-1 phosphorylation in cultured cells. Moreover, treatment with the GSK-3 inhibitor lithium reduced Ser332 phosphorylation, whereas overexpression of GSK-3 enhanced this phosphorylation. In summary, our studies identify Ser332 as the GSK-3 phosphorylation target in IRS-1, indicating its physiological relevance and demonstrating its novel inhibitory role in insulin signaling.     

Lithium blocks the c-Jun stress response and protects neurons via its action on glycogen synthase kinase 3

Lithium has been used as an effective mood-stabilizing drug for the treatment of manic episodes and depression for 50 years. More recently, lithium has been found to protect neurons from death induced by a wide array of neurotoxic insults. However, the molecular basis for the prophylactic effects of lithium have remained obscure. A target of lithium, glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3), is implicated in neuronal death after trophic deprivation. The mechanism whereby GSK-3 exerts its neurotoxic effects is also unknown. Here we show that lithium blocks the canonical c-Jun apoptotic pathway in cerebellar granule neurons deprived of trophic support. This effect is mimicked by the structurally independent inhibitors of GSK-3, FRAT1, and indirubin. Like lithium, these prevent the stress induced c-Jun protein increase and subsequent apoptosis. These events are downstream of c-Jun transactivation, since GSK-3 inhibitors block neuronal death induced by constitutively active c-Jun (Ser/Thr-->Asp) and FRAT1 expression inhibits AP1 reporter activity. Consistent with this, AP1-dependent expression of proapoptotic Bim requires GSK-3-like activity. These data suggest that a GSK-3-like kinase acts in tandem with c-Jun N-terminal kinase to coordinate the full execution of the c-Jun stress response and neuronal death in response to trophic deprivation.     

Human serum and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase-like kinase (SGKL) phosphorylates glycogen syntheses kinase 3 beta (GSK-3beta) at serine-9 through direct interaction

Serum and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase-like kinase (SGKL) has been identified as a new integrator that decodes lipid signals produced by the activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). SGKL is activated via its lipid-binding domain (phox homology domain) in response to PI3K signaling. However, downstream targets of SGKL as well as the role of SGKL as a mediator in PI3K signaling in human tissues remain to be established. In this study, we identified human glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3beta) as a specific interacting partner with SGKL in a yeast two-hybrid screening of human brain cDNA library. The association between these two proteins is confirmed independently in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells by co-immunoprecipitation. Furthermore, the kinase activity of wild-type SGKL was required for the in vitro phosphorylation of a GSK-3 crosstide fusion protein at serine-21/9 as demonstrated with a Phospho-GSK-3alpha/beta (Ser21/9) specific antibody. The present results provide strong evidences that SGKL could utilize GSK-3beta as a direct downstream target by phosphorylating GSK-3beta at serine-9.     

Interaction among GSK-3, GBP, axin, and APC in Xenopus axis specification

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) is a constitutively active kinase that negatively regulates its substrates, one of which is beta-catenin, a downstream effector of the Wnt signaling pathway that is required for dorsal-ventral axis specification in the Xenopus embryo. GSK-3 activity is regulated through the opposing activities of multiple proteins. Axin, GSK-3, and beta-catenin form a complex that promotes the GSK-3-mediated phosphorylation and subsequent degradation of beta-catenin. Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) joins the complex and downregulates beta-catenin in mammalian cells, but its role in Xenopus is less clear. In contrast, GBP, which is required for axis formation in Xenopus, binds and inhibits GSK-3. We show here that GSK-3 binding protein (GBP) inhibits GSK-3, in part, by preventing Axin from binding GSK-3. Similarly, we present evidence that a dominant-negative GSK-3 mutant, which causes the same effects as GBP, keeps endogenous GSK-3 from binding to Axin. We show that GBP also functions by preventing the GSK-3-mediated phosphorylation of a protein substrate without eliminating its catalytic activity. Finally, we show that the previously demonstrated axis-inducing property of overexpressed APC is attributable to its ability to stabilize cytoplasmic beta-catenin levels, demonstrating that APC is impinging upon the canonical Wnt pathway in this model system. These results contribute to our growing understanding of how GSK-3 regulation in the early embryo leads to regional differences in beta-catenin levels and establishment of the dorsal axis.     

PKA modulates GSK-3beta- and cdk5-catalyzed phosphorylation of tau in site- and kinase-specific manners

Phosphorylation of tau protein is regulated by several kinases, especially glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK-3beta), cyclin-dependent protein kinase 5 (cdk5) and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Phosphorylation of tau by PKA primes it for phosphorylation by GSK-3beta, but the site-specific modulation of GSK-3beta-catalyzed tau phosphorylation by the prephosphorylation has not been well investigated. Here, we found that prephosphorylation by PKA promotes GSK-3beta-catalyzed tau phosphorylation at Thr181, Ser199, Ser202, Thr205, Thr217, Thr231, Ser396 and Ser422, but inhibits its phosphorylation at Thr212 and Ser404. In contrast, the prephosphorylation had no significant effect on its subsequent phosphorylation by cdk5 at Thr181, Ser199, Thr205, Thr231 and Ser422; inhibited it at Ser202, Thr212, Thr217 and Ser404; and slightly promoted it at Ser396. These studies reveal the nature of the inter-regulation of tau phosphorylation by the three major tau kinases.     

GSK-3 is activated by the tyrosine kinase Pyk2 during LPA1-mediated neurite retraction

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase that is usually inactivated by serine phosphorylation in response to extracellular cues. However, GSK-3 can also be activated by tyrosine phosphorylation, but little is known about the upstream signaling events and tyrosine kinase(s) involved. Here we describe a G protein signaling pathway leading to GSK-3 activation during lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-induced neurite retraction. Using neuronal cells expressing the LPA(1) receptor, we show that LPA(1) mediates tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of GSK-3 with subsequent phosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau via the G(i)-linked PIP(2) hydrolysis-Ca(2+) mobilization pathway. LPA concomitantly activates the Ca(2+)-dependent tyrosine kinase Pyk2, which is detected in a complex with GSK-3beta. Inactivation or knockdown of Pyk2 inhibits LPA-induced (but not basal) tyrosine phosphorylation of GSK-3 and partially inhibits LPA-induced neurite retraction, similar to what is observed following GSK-3 inhibition. Thus, Pyk2 mediates LPA(1)-induced activation of GSK-3 and subsequent phosphorylation of microtubule-associated proteins. Pyk2-mediated GSK-3 activation is initiated by PIP(2) hydrolysis and may serve to destabilize microtubules during actomyosin-driven neurite retraction.     

Phosphorylation of serine 468 by GSK-3beta negatively regulates basal p65 NF-kappaB activity

The activity of NF-kappaB is controlled at several levels including the phosphorylation of the strongly transactivating p65 (RelA) subunit. However, the overall number of phosphorylation sites, the signaling pathways and protein kinases that target p65 NF-kappaB and the functional role of these phosphorylations are still being uncovered. Using a combination of peptide arrays with in vitro kinase assays we identify serine 468 as a novel phosphorylation site of p65 NF-kappaB. Serine 468 lies within a GSK-3beta consensus site, and recombinant GSK-3beta specifically phosphorylates a GST-p65-(354-551) fusion protein at Ser(468) in vitro. In intact cells, phosphorylation of endogenous Ser(468) of p65 is induced by the PP1/PP2A phosphatase inhibitor calyculin A and this effect is inhibited by the GSK-3beta inhibitor LiCl. Reconstitution of p65-deficient cells with a p65 protein where serine 468 was mutated to alanine revealed a negative regulatory role of serine 468 for NF-kappaB activation. Collectively our results suggest that a GSK-3beta-PP1-dependent mechanism regulates phosphorylation of p65 NF-kappaB at Ser(468) in unstimulated cells and thereby controls the basal activity of NF-kappaB.     

Cytokine-stimulated phosphorylation of GSK-3 is primarily dependent upon PKCs, not PKB.

The regulation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) by phosphorylation at inhibitory sites has been well documented. In many, but not all, cases, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway, and particularly the downstream kinase protein kinase B (PKB)/akt, have been shown to be responsible for GSK-3 phosphorylation. Given that no studies have ever reported cytokine-mediated phosphorylation of GSK-3, we investigated the phosphorylation of this kinase in several hemopoietic cell types in response to either interleukin (IL)-3, IL-4 or granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Each of the cytokines was able to stimulate phosphorylation of the isoforms GSK-3alpha and GSK-3beta. However, only in the case of IL-4 stimulation was there any dependence on PKB for this phosphorylation. We were clearly able to show that PKB was capable of phosphorylating GSK-3 in these cells, but studies using inhibitors of the protein kinase C (PKC) family of kinases have shown that these enzymes are more likely to play a key role in GSK-3 phosphorylation. Cytokine-mediated generation of diacylglycerol was demonstrated, supporting the possible activation of PKC family members. Thus, cytokine-dependent GSK-3 phosphorylation in hemopoietic cells proceeds primarily through PKB independent pathways.     

Inhibitory Phosphorylation of GSK-3 by CaMKII Couples Depolarization to Neuronal Survival

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 Ca²⁺/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 Ca²⁺/calmodulin/CaMKII/GSK-3 pathway that couples depolarization to neuronal survival.