Tau phosphorylation in transgenic mice expressing glycogen synthase kinase-3beta transgenes.

In order to investigate the effect on tau of manipulating glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3beta activity in the brain, we created transgenic mice harbouring wild-type GSK-3beta genes or a mutant GSK-3beta that is predicted to be more active. Transgene-derived mRNAs were detected in the brains of a nu...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Brownlees, J, Irving, N, Brion, J, Gibb, B, Wagner, U, Woodgett, J, Miller, C
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 1997
Description
Summary:In order to investigate the effect on tau of manipulating glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3beta activity in the brain, we created transgenic mice harbouring wild-type GSK-3beta genes or a mutant GSK-3beta that is predicted to be more active. Transgene-derived mRNAs were detected in the brains of a number of the transgenic mouse lines and several of these transgenic lines displayed transgenic GSK-3beta activity. Western blot analyses of the two lines with the highest levels of transgenic GSK-3beta activity revealed that the phosphorylation status of tau was elevated at the AT8 epitope. These observations strongly suggest that GSK-3beta is an in vivo tau kinase in the brain. Only low levels of expression of GSK-3beta were obtained and it is possible that high levels of GSK-3beta activity are lethal.