Anti-Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 alpha (GSK3a)

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) was initially identified as an enzyme that regulates glycogen synthesis in response to insulin (1). GSK-3 is a ubiquitously expressed serine/threonine protein kinase that phosphorylates and inactivates glycogen synthase. GSK-3 is a critical downstream element of the PI3 kinase/Akt cell survival pathway, and its activity can be inhibited by Akt-mediated phosphorylation at Ser21 of GSK-3a and Ser9 of GSK-3b (2,3). GSK-3 has been implicated in the regulation of cell fate in Dictyostelium, and is a component of the Wnt signaling pathway required for Drosophila, Xenopus and mammalian development (4). GSK-3 has been shown to regulate cyclin D1 proteolysis and subcellular localization (5). GSK-3a regulates the production of amyloid-b peptides, a major component of the plaques that accumulate with progression of Alzheimer's disease. Administration of therapeutic concentrations of lithium, a GSK-3 inhibitor, attenuates amyloid-b production by specifically inhibiting the cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) by g secretase, blocking accumulation of amyloid-b peptides in the brains of mice that overproduce APP (6). Applications: Suitable for use in Western Blot and Immunoprecipitation. Other applications not tested. Recommended Dilution: Western Blot: 1:1000, Immunoprecipitation: 1:50, Optimal dilutions to be determined by the researcher. Storage and Stability: May be stored at 4°C for short-term only. For long-term storage, store at -20°C. Aliquots are stable for at least 12 months at -20°C. For maximum recovery of product, centrifuge the original vial after thawing and prior to removing the cap. Further dilutions can be made in assay buffer.