Glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3 beta/zeste-white-3/shaggy) is a negative regulator of the wnt signaling pathway which plays a central role in the development of invertebrates and vertebrates; loss of function and dominant negative mutations in GSK-3 beta lead to activation of the wnt pathway in Drosophila and Xenopus. We now provide evidence that lithium activates downstream components o...

The insulin-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathways are major intracellular signaling modules and conserved among eukaryotes that are known to regulate diverse cellular processes. However, they have not been investigated in the mollusk species Pinctada fucata. Here, we demonstrate that insulin-related peptide receptor of P. fucata (pfIRR...

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 comprises two isoforms (GSK-3alpha and GSK-3beta) that are implicated in type II diabetes, neurodegeneration, and cancer. GSK-3 activity is elevated in human and rodent models of diabetes, and various GSK-3 inhibitors improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in rodent models of obesity and diabetes. Here, we report the generation of mice lacking GSK-3alpha. U...

Objective(s): Present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of selegiline and the molecular mechanisms involved in methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity.Materials and Methods: Male wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups (10 rats in each group). Group 1 and group 2 received normal saline and methamphetamine (10 mg/kg),...

The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an alphabetagamma heterotrimer that is activated by low cellular energy status and affects a switch away from energy-requiring processes and toward catabolism. While it is primarily regulated by AMP and ATP, high muscle glycogen has also been shown to repress its activation. Mutations in the gamma2 and gamma3 subunit isoforms lead to arrhythmias associ...

It has previously been demonstrated that the insulin-mimetic agent trypsin stimulates autophosphorylation of purified insulin receptors and activates the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase in vitro. We now report the effects of trypsin on whole cell tyrosine kinase activation and insulin receptor autophosphorylation. Trypsin treatment of intact adipocytes produces a time-dependent stimulation of ...