Efficacy of small-molecule glycogen synthase kinase-3 inhibitors in the postnatal rat model of tau hyperphosphorylation

Background and purpose: Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) affects neuropathological events associated with Alzheimeŕs disease (AD) such as hyperphosphorylation of the protein, tau. GSK-3β expression, enzyme activity and tau phosphorylated at AD-relevant epitopes are elevated in juvenile rodent brains. Here, we assess five GSK-3β inhibitors and lithium in lowering phosphorylated tau (p-tau) and GSK-3β enzyme activity levels in 12-day old postnatal rats. Experimental approach: Brain levels of inhibitors following treatment in vivo were optimized based on pharmacokinetic data. At optimal doses, p-tau (Ser ³⁹⁶) levels in brain tissue was measured by immunoblotting and correlated with GSK-3β enzyme activities in the same tissues. Effects of GSK inhibitors on p-tau, GSK-3β activities and cell death were measured in a human neuronal cell line (LUHMES). Key results: Lithium and CHIR98014 reduced tau phosphorylation (Ser ³⁹⁶) in the cortex and hippocampus of postnatal rats, while Alsterpaullone and SB216763 were effective only in hippocampus. AR-A014418 and Indirubin-3′-monoxime were ineffective in either brain region. Inhibition of p-tau in brain required several-fold higher levels of GSK inhibitors than the IC ₅₀ values obtained in recombinant or cell-based GSK-3β enzyme activity assays. The inhibitory effect on GSK-3β activity ex vivo correlated with protection against cell death and decrease of p-tau- in LUHMES cells, using low μM inhibitor concentrations. Conclusions and Implications: Selective small-molecule inhibitors of GSK-3 reduce tau phosphorylation in vivo. These findings corroborate earlier suggestions that GSK-3β may be an attractive target for disease-modification in AD and related conditions where tau phosphorylation is believed to contribute to disease pathogenesis.