Lithium and GSK-3: one inhibitor, two inhibitory actions, multiple outcomes

RS Jope - Trends in pharmacological sciences, 2003 - cell.com
Trends in pharmacological sciences, 2003cell.com
The intrigue of lithium, the simplest drug in the modern pharmacopoeia, extends from its
complex actions in cells to its therapeutic effects as a mood stabilizer. New surprises from
studies of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) show that lithium reduces GSK-3 activity in
two ways, both directly and by increasing the inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK-3. These
dual effects can act in concert to magnify the influence of lithium on crucial GSK-3-regulated
functions (gene expression, cell structure and survival).
Abstract
The intrigue of lithium, the simplest drug in the modern pharmacopoeia, extends from its complex actions in cells to its therapeutic effects as a mood stabilizer. New surprises from studies of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) show that lithium reduces GSK-3 activity in two ways, both directly and by increasing the inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK-3. These dual effects can act in concert to magnify the influence of lithium on crucial GSK-3-regulated functions (gene expression, cell structure and survival).
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