Effects of Conditional GSK3 Knockout on the Pathogenesis of Alzheimers Disease

阿尔茨海默病（AD）是一种以认知能力退化为特征的神经退行性疾病， 最终发展成痴呆症AD病理学被认为是由不溶性的 淀粉样斑块和神经纤维缠结。最近的研究表明，两种高度相关的 蛋白激酶，糖原合成酶激酶-3 <$和<$（GSK-3 <$和GSK-3 <$），调节淀粉样蛋白 肽生产。这些分子以前被直接牵连到神经系统缠结 这表明GSK-3同种型是AD病理学的重要介质。我们的长期目标是 更好地了解GSK-3活性如何有助于AD的发病机制。作为实现这一目标的一步 为了实现长期目标，我们创造了允许GSK-3 <$和GSK-3 <$条件性敲除的小鼠。 我们希望检验的特定假设是GSK-3的失活减少了淀粉样肽的产生 并防止AD病理的发生。这些小鼠以及从这些小鼠身上提取的细胞，将使我们能够 开始解决GSK-3活性如何促进AD发病机制的分子基础， 神经变性 具体目标1：确定每种GSK-3亚型对导致以下疾病发病机制的事件的贡献： 老年痴呆症 具体目标2：阐明GSK-3 <$和GSK-3 <$对肿瘤细胞的不同作用的分子基础。 淀粉样肽的产生。 具体目标3：检查条件性缺失GSK-3 <$和GSK-3 <$对糖尿病发病机制的影响。 老年痴呆症 上述目标利用我们的新型GSK-3条件性敲除小鼠，从而为我们提供了一个机会， 在了解GSK-3亚型的分子机制方面取得了重大进展， 参与阿尔茨海默病。该申请提出了旨在更好地了解阿尔茨海默病如何 发展起来的我们希望，这些知识的增加将导致治疗方法的发展， 减缓或预防与阿尔茨海默病相关的症状。

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by a deterioration of cognitive skills, eventually progressing to dementia. AD pathology is believed to result from an accumulation of insoluble amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Recent studies have demonstrated a role for two highly related protein kinases, glycogen synthase kinase-3¿ and ¿ (GSK-3¿ and GSK-3¿), in the regulation of ¿-amyloid peptide production. These molecules have previously been directly implicated in neurofibrillary tangle formation, suggesting that GSK-3 isoforms are important mediators of AD pathology. Our long-term goal is to better understand how GSK-3 activity contributes to the pathogenesis of AD. As a step toward attaining this long-term goal, we have created mice that will allow for the conditional knockout of both GSK-3¿ and GSK-3¿. The specific hypothesis we wish to test is that inactivation of GSK-3¿ decreases ¿-amyloid peptide production and prevents the onset of AD pathology. These mice, and the cells derived from these mice, will permit us to begin addressing the molecular basis of how GSK-3 activity contributes to AD pathogenesis and neurodegeneration. Specific Aim 1: Define the contribution of each GSK-3 isoform toward the events leading to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Specific Aim 2: Delineate the molecular basis of the differential effects of GSK-3¿ and GSK-3¿ on the production of ¿-amyloid peptides. Specific Aim 3: Examine the effects of conditionally deleting GSK-3¿ and GSK-3¿ on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. The aims proposed above utilize our novel GSK-3 conditional knockout mice, thus affording us an opportunity to make significant strides toward understanding the molecular mechanism by which GSK-3 isoforms participate in Alzheimer's disease. This application proposes experiments designed to gain a better understanding of how Alzheimer's disease develops. It is our hope that this increased knowledge will lead to the development of therapeutics capable of slowing or preventing the symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease.