GSK-3beta in mouse fibroblasts controls wound healing and fibrosis through an endothelin-1-dependent mechanism

J Clin Invest. 2008 Oct;118(10):3279-90. doi: 10.1172/JCI35381.

Abstract

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a widely expressed and highly conserved serine/threonine protein kinase encoded by 2 genes, GSK3A and GSK3B. GSK-3 is thought to be involved in tissue repair and fibrogenesis, but its role in these processes is currently unknown. To investigate the function of GSK-3beta in fibroblasts, we generated mice harboring a fibroblast-specific deletion of Gsk3b and evaluated their wound-healing and fibrogenic responses. We have shown that Gsk3b-conditional-KO mice (Gsk3b-CKO mice) exhibited accelerated wound closure, increased fibrogenesis, and excessive scarring compared with control mice. In addition, Gsk3b-CKO mice showed elevated collagen production, decreased cell apoptosis, elevated levels of profibrotic alpha-SMA, and increased myofibroblast formation during wound healing. In cultured Gsk3b-CKO fibroblasts, adhesion, spreading, migration, and contraction were enhanced. Both Gsk3b-CKO mice and fibroblasts showed elevated expression and production of endothelin-1 (ET-1) compared with control mice and cells. Antagonizing ET-1 reversed the phenotype of Gsk3b-CKO fibroblasts and mice. Thus, GSK-3beta appears to control the progression of wound healing and fibrosis by modulating ET-1 levels. These results suggest that targeting the GSK-3beta pathway or ET-1 may be of benefit in controlling tissue repair and fibrogenic responses in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Retracted Publication

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Bosentan
  • Cell Line
  • Cicatrix / genetics
  • Collagen / biosynthesis
  • Endothelin A Receptor Antagonists
  • Endothelin B Receptor Antagonists
  • Endothelin-1 / genetics
  • Endothelin-1 / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Fibroblasts / physiology*
  • Fibrosis / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / genetics
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / metabolism*
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Receptor, Endothelin A / metabolism
  • Receptor, Endothelin B / metabolism
  • Sequence Deletion
  • Signal Transduction
  • Sulfonamides / pharmacology
  • Time Factors
  • Wound Healing / drug effects
  • Wound Healing / physiology*
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Endothelin A Receptor Antagonists
  • Endothelin B Receptor Antagonists
  • Endothelin-1
  • Receptor, Endothelin A
  • Receptor, Endothelin B
  • Sulfonamides
  • beta Catenin
  • Collagen
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Gsk3b protein, mouse
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3
  • Bosentan