Drug Development Targeting the Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β (GSK-3β)-Mediated Signal Transduction Pathway: Inhibitors of the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway as Novel Anticancer Drugs

Journal of Pharmacological Sciences

Toshiyuki Sasaguri¹  Fumi Takahashi-Yanaga¹ 

[1] Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Japan

关键词: Wnt/β-catenin signaling;    cancer;    glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β);    drug development;    differentiation-inducing factor;   

DOI  :  10.1254/jphs.08R28FM

学科分类：药学

来源: Nihon Yakuri Gakkai Henshuubu / Japanese Pharmacological Society

【 摘 要 】

References(35)Cited-By(31)Accumulating evidence suggests that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is often involved in oncogenesis and cancer development. Accordingly, a novel anticancer drug can be developed using inhibitors of this pathway. However, at present, there is no selective inhibitor of this pathway available as a therapeutic agent. Although all the components of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway can be a target for drug development, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), in particular, may be a good target because GSK-3β is an essential component of the pathway, and activation of this kinase results in the inhibition of the Wnt signaling pathway. We found that the differentiation-inducing factors (DIFs), putative morphogens for Dictyostelium discoideum, inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway via the activation of GSK-3β, resulting in the cell-cycle arrest of human cancer cell lines. In this review, we summarize our recent findings on the antiproliferative effect of DIFs and show the possibility for development of a novel anticancer drug from DIFs and their derivatives.

【 授权许可】

Unknown