GSK-3-associated signaling is crucial to virus infection of cells

Abstract

Signal transduction pathways play important roles in virus infection, replication, and associated pathogenesis. Some of the best understood cell signaling networks are crucial to virus infections such the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase C (PKC), and the WNT/β-catenin pathways. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a lesser known signaling molecule in the field of virus research. Interestingly, GSK-3 forms the crux of multiple cell signaling pathways. However, recent studies indicate that GSK-3 may perform key roles in the response to viral infection, replication and pathogenesis. The effects of activated or inactivated forms of GSK-3 on virus infection are still not yet clearly understood phenomenon. The comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of GSK-3-associated signaling pathways in terms of different stages of virus replication could be important not only to understand the pathogenesis of virus, but also possibly leading to new therapeutic targets. This review will focus on recent advances in understanding the roles of GSK-3 on viral replication, pathogenesis and the immune responses.

Keywords: Cell signaling; GSK-3; Therapeutics; Virus; miRNA.