Glycogen synthase kinase3 and prostate cancer: An update

Glycogen synthase kinase3 (GSK3α and GSK3β) are serine/threonine protein kinases acting on numerous substrates and involved in the regulation of various cellular functions such as their proliferation, survival, glycogen metabolism, and autophagy. Accumulating evidence indicates that the expression of GSK3α is increased mainly in androgendependent while that of GSK3β in androgenindependent prostate cancer, and that GSK3β is also involved in the regulation of the transactivation of the androgen receptor (AR) and growth of prostate cancer. Animal experiments have proved that some GSK3 inhibitors, such as lithium, can significantly suppress tumor growth in different animal models of prostate cancer. The GSK3 inhibitor is promising to be an important agent for the clinical management of prostate cancer.