Glia maturation factor overexpression in neuroblastoma cells activates glycogen synthase kinase-3beta and caspase-3.

ABSTRACT: In the present study we report that a replication-defective adenovirus construct of GMF cDNA (GMF-V) induced overexpression of GMF protein in neuroblastoma (N18) cells caused cytotoxicity and loss of cell viability. A significant increase in activation of GSK-3beta occurred after infection with GMF-V when compared with mock and lacZ controls. Overexpression of GMF also increased caspase-3 activity, an early marker of apoptosis. Depletion of GMF gene by introducing GMF-specific siRNA (GsiRNA) completely blocked both activation of GSK-3beta and caspase-3 activation whereas a control scrambled siRNA (CsiRNA) had no effect. A cell-permeable peptide inhibitor of GSK-3beta, and lithium completely prevented GMF-dependent activation of caspase-3. These results demonstrate that GSK-3 mediates activ

SUBMITTER: Zaheer A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2343001 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature