Acta Neuropharmacologica››2014,Vol. 4››Issue (5): 44-54.

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Research Progress of GSK3 in the Pathophysiology of Depression Disorder

CHEN Jiao, CHU Shi-feng, WANG Zhen-zhen, CHEN Nai-hong

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
    2. College of Pharmacy, Traditional Chinese Medicine of Hunan University, Changsha, 410000, China
  • Online:2014-10-26Published:2015-01-20
  • Contact:陈乃宏,男,研究员,博士生导师,研究方向:神经系统疾患创新药物开发及作用机制,E-mail:chennh@imm.ac.cn
  • About author:陈姣,女,博士研究生,研究方向:神经药理学和神经生物学,E-mail:chenjiao234@163.com
  • Supported by:

    国家自然科学基金资助项目(No. 81274122、No. 81202507、No. 81373998、No. U1402221);国家“重大新药创制”科技重大专项(No. 2012ZX09301002-004);北京市自然科学基金项目(No. 7131013, No. 7142115);教育部博士点基金重点项目(No. 20121106130001);新药作用机制研究与药效评价北京市重点实验室资助项目(No. BZ0150);中央级公益性科研院所基本科研业务费专项资金(No. 2014RC03)

Abstract:Despite many decades of clinical useness, the therapeutic target of lithium remains uncertain.It is recognized that therapeutic concentrations of lithium is to inhibit the activity of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) to treat depression disorder. Specifically, it has been demonstrated that lithium administration regulates multiple GSK3 targets and multiple antidepressant drugs regulate GSK3 signaling. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of GSK3 results in mood stabilizer-like and antidepressant-like behavior in rodent models. These studies implicate that GSK3 is a possible target for treatment of mood disorders. Furthermore, numerous recent studies have provided more complete understanding of the role of GSK3 in diverse neurological processes, strengthening the hypothesis that GSK3 may represent a therapeutically relevant target of lithium. For example, GSK3 is a primary regulator of oxidative stress response. Inflammatory response, neurogenesis, serotonin transmission and circadian rhythms may be involved in GSK3-regulated pathways. In this regard, further study is needed to develop novel specific GSK3 inhibitors for the treatment of depressive disorders. In this article, we will discuss the role of GSK3 in five aspects including oxidative stress response, inflammatory response, neurogenesis, serotonin transmission and circadian rhythms to summary the research progress in pathological mechanisms of depression.

Key words:GSK3 inhibitor,depressive disorders,inflammation,neurogenesis,circadian rhythm

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