This project will study the regulation of glycogen synthase kinase 3beta, its modulation by mood stabilizers and its potential role in bipolar disorder. The five-year plans to enable the candidate to develop into an independent psychiatric investigator to conduct translational research in bipolar disorder. The project provides extensive training in new research skills, including studying transcription factors and gene expression, using gene microarray techniques, and conducting clinical research. The central hypothesis for the research is that abnormal functioning of GSK3beta plays a role in the development of bipolar disorder. The hypothesis is based on the recent evidence that bipolar disorder may involve impaired neural plasticity and neural degeneration, and GSK3beta, a protein kinase with multiple regulatory functions in neuronal tissues, is a major intracellular target of the mood stabilizer lithium. Our preliminary results also indicate that three mood stabilizers have modulatory effects on GSK3beta.
Three Specific Aims will be pursued to test the central hypothesis and accomplish the overall objective of this application.
Specific Aim 1 will determine the role of GSK3beta in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-induced cyclic AMP responsive element binding protein (CREB) transcription factor activity and its modulation by mood stabilizers. BDNF-mediated signaling and CREB will be studied because they are components of a neural-specific signaling system that appears to be impaired in mood disorders.
Specific Aim 2 will determine the role of GSK3beta in BDNF-induced gene expression and its modulation by mood stabilizers. Gene expression will be studied because it is thought to be impaired in bipolar disorder and is modified by treatment with mood stabilizers. This hypothesis will be tested by measuring gene expression using gene microarray.
The Specific Aims 1 and 2 provide training in studies of regulation of transcription factors and gene expression to obtain new skills in molecular biology, which is an important training component of this application.
Specific Aim 3 will measure GSK3beta activity in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with bipolar disorder before and after treatment with lithium.
This Specific Aim has a clinical research component to bridge the clinical and basic studies, and to facilitate the candidate's development of skills in translational research. The proposed research is innovative, because it will identify the role of GSK3beta in the development of bipolar disorder. The proposed research is expected to have a significant impact on understanding the pathophysiology and improving the treatment of bipolar disorder. At the completion of these studies, the candidate will have established a solid background in molecular biology techniques and clinical research enabling her to be an independent psychiatric researcher who possesses the ability to use molecular biology techniques to answer clinical questions.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Clinical Investigator Award (CIA) (K08)
Project #
5K08MH064555-03
Application #
6879734
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-BDCN-3 (01))
Program Officer
Chavez, Mark
Project Start
2003-04-01
Project End
2008-03-31
Budget Start
2005-04-01
Budget End
2006-03-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$171,912
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Alabama Birmingham
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
063690705
City
Birmingham
State
AL
Country
United States
Zip Code
35294
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Polter, Abigail; Beurel, Eléonore; Yang, Sufen et al. (2010) Deficiency in the inhibitory serine-phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 increases sensitivity to mood disturbances. Neuropsychopharmacology 35:1761-74
Polter, Abigail; Yang, Sufen; Zmijewska, Anna A et al. (2009) Forkhead box, class O transcription factors in brain: regulation and behavioral manifestation. Biol Psychiatry 65:150-9
Chen, Ligong; Salinas, Gregory D; Li, Xiaohua (2009) Regulation of serotonin 1B receptor by glycogen synthase kinase-3. Mol Pharmacol 76:1150-61
Reeves, Hollis; Batra, Sachin; May, Roberta S et al. (2008) Efficacy of risperidone augmentation to antidepressants in the management of suicidality in major depressive disorder: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study. J Clin Psychiatry 69:1228-336
Li, Xiaohua; Friedman, Ari B; Zhu, Wawa et al. (2007) Lithium regulates glycogen synthase kinase-3beta in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells: implication in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Biol Psychiatry 61:216-22
Mao, Zhengquan; Liu, Liqin; Zhang, Rusheng et al. (2007) Lithium reduces FoxO3a transcriptional activity by decreasing its intracellular content. Biol Psychiatry 62:1423-30
Li, Xiaohua; Rosborough, Kelley M; Friedman, Ari B et al. (2007) Regulation of mouse brain glycogen synthase kinase-3 by atypical antipsychotics. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 10:7-19
Zhu, Wawa; Bijur, Gautam N; Styles, Nathan A et al. (2004) Regulation of FOXO3a by brain-derived neurotrophic factor in differentiated human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Brain Res Mol Brain Res 126:45-56