GSK-3, a component of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, is implicated in regulation of bone mass. The effect of a small molecule GSK-3 inhibitor was evaluated in pre-osteoblasts and in osteopenic rats. GSK-3 inhibitor induced osteoblast differentiation in vitro and increased markers of bone formation in vitro and in vivo with concomitant increased bone mass and strength in rats.Introduction: Inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase -3 (GSK-3) leads to stabilization, accumulation, and translocation of ␤-catenin into the nucleus to activate downstream Wnt target genes. To examine whether GSK-3 directly regulates bone formation and mass we evaluated the effect of 603281-31-8, a small molecule GSK-3 ␣/␤ dual inhibitor in preosteoblastic cells and in osteopenic rats. Materials and Methods: Murine mesenchymal C3H10T1/2 cells were treated with GSK-3 inhibitor (603281-31-8) and assayed for ␤-catenin levels, activity of Wnt-responsive promoter, expression of mRNA for bone formation, and adipogenic markers and alkaline phosphatase activity. In vivo, 6-month-old rats were ovariectomized (OVX), allowed to lose bone for 1 month, and treated with GSK-3 inhibitor at 3 mg/kg/day orally for 60 days. At the end of treatment, BMD was measured by DXA, bone formation rate by histomorphometry, vertebral strength (failure in compression), and the expression levels of osteoblast-related genes by real-time PCR. Results: Treatment of C3H10T1/2 cells with the GSK-3 inhibitor increased the levels of ␤-catenin accompanied by activation of Wnt-responsive TBE 6 -luciferase reporter gene. This was associated with an increased expression of mRNA for bone sialoprotein (1.4-fold), collagen ␣ 1 (I) (∼2-fold), osteocalcin (1.2-fold), collagen ␣ 1 (V) (1.5-fold), alkaline phosphatase (∼160-fold), and runx2 (1.6-fold), markers of the osteoblast phenotype and bone formation activity. Alkaline phosphatase mRNA expression paralleled alkaline phosphatase activity. The mRNA levels of collagens ␣ 1 (I), ␣ 1 (V), biglycan, osteonectin, and runx-2 increased on treatment with the GSK-3 inhibitor in rat femur compared with the OVX control. DXA analyses revealed significant increases in BMC and BMD in cancellous and cortical bone of OVX rats treated with GSK-3 inhibitor. This was associated with increased strength (peak load, energy, and stiffness) assessed by lumbar vertebra load to failure in compression. Histomorphometric analyses showed that 603281-31-8 robustly increased bone formation but did not exclude a small effect on osteoclasts (resorption). Conclusions: An orally active, small molecule GSK-3 inhibitor induced osteoblast differentiation and increased markers of bone formation in vitro, and increased markers of bone formation, bone mass, and strength in vivo, consistent with a role for the canonical Wnt pathway in osteogenesis.

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It has previously been observed that a loss of β-catenin expression occurs with melanoma progression and that nuclear β-catenin levels are inversely proportional to cellular proliferation, suggesting that activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway may provide benefit for melanoma patients. In order to further probe this concept we tested LY2090314, a potent and selective small-molecule inhibitor with activity against GSK3α and GSK3β isoforms. In a panel of melanoma cell lines, nM concentrations of LY2090314 stimulated TCF/LEF TOPFlash reporter activity, stabilized β-catenin and elevated the expression of Axin2, a Wnt responsive gene and marker of pathway activation. Cytotoxicity assays revealed that melanoma cell lines are very sensitive to LY2090314 in vitro (IC50 ~10nM after 72hr of treatment) in contrast to other solid tumor cell lines (IC50 >10uM) as evidenced by caspase activation and PARP cleavage. Cell lines harboring mutant B-RAF or N-RAS were equally sensitive to LY2090314 as were those with acquired resistance to the BRAF inhibitor Vemurafenib. shRNA studies demonstrated that β-catenin stabilization is required for apoptosis following treatment with the GSK3 inhibitor since the sensitivity of melanoma cell lines to LY290314 could be overcome by β-catenin knockdown. We further demonstrate that in vivo, LY2090314 elevates Axin2 gene expression after a single dose and produces tumor growth delay in A375 melanoma xenografts with repeat dosing. The activity of LY2090314 in preclinical models suggests that the role of Wnt activators for the treatment of melanoma should be further explored.

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Reactions of 2-methoxy-1,4-benzoquinones 2 and 3 with (E)-propenylbenzenes 1 promoted at −78 °C by Ti(IV)−TADDOLates prepared from diol-(+)-4 afford (1R,6R,7R,8R)-8-aryl-3-methoxy-7-methylbicyclo[4.2.0]oct-3-en-2,5-diones 5/8 or (1R,5R,6R,7R)-7-aryl-3-hydroxy-6-methylbicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-en-2,8-diones 7/10 in good yield and high ee. (2S,3S)-2-Aryl-6-methoxy-3-methyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-5-ols 6/9 are also found, but in slightly lower ee. Cyclobutanes 5/8 cleanly and efficiently rearrange to the dihydrobenzofurans 6/9 without loss of enantiomeric purity upon treatment with the Ti−TADDOLates at higher temperatures. Reactions of (Z)-propenylbenzene 17 and of indene with 2 and 3 give products in moderate enantiomeric purity. Products obtained from reactions of 1-anisylcycloalkenes with 2 differ significantly in yield and enantiomeric purity. In the latter reactions, the ee's of the cyclobutane products are consistently much higher than those of the dihydrobenzofuran products. More significantly, products of different absolute configuration result from different cycloalkenes. With 1-anisylcyclopentene or 1-anisylcyclohexene, all of the products are of similar configuration and are obtained in comparable yields and ee's. However, 1-anisylcycloheptene affords products that are diastereomeric with those of the 1-anisylcyclopentene, and in lower ee's. A mechanistic model is proposed. Application of these reactions to the enantioselective synthesis of the pterocarpan class of isoflavonoid natural products is also reported.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) inhibitor 603281-31-8, administered once daily increased bone formation in vivo. We investigated the molecular mechanisms of the anabolic responses of PTH and 603281-31-8 in rat osteopenia model. Female 6-month-old rats were ovariectomized (Ovx) and permitted to lose bone for 1 month, followed by treatment with PTH (1-38) at 10 microg/kg/day s.c. or 603281-31-8 at 3 mg/kg/day p.o. for 60 days. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment, RNA from distal femur metaphysis was subjected to gene expression analysis. Differentially expressed genes (P<0.05) were subjected to pathway analysis to delineate relevant bio-processes involved in skeletal biology. Genes involved in morphogenesis, cell growth/differentiation, and apoptosis were significantly altered by Ovx and the treatments. Analysis of morphogenesis genes showed an overrepresentation of genes involved in osteogenesis, chondrogenesis, and adipogenesis. A striking finding was that Ovx decreased several markers of osteogenesis/chondrogenesis and increased markers of adipogenesis/lipid metabolism. Treatment with either PTH or the GSK-3 inhibitor reversed these effects, albeit at different levels. Histological analysis confirmed that osteopenia in Ovx animals was associated with three-fold increase in marrow adiposity. PTH and GSK-3 inhibitor restored bone volume, and reversed or normalized marrow adiposity. Ex vivo studies showed that PTH and GSK-3 inhibitor increased the ratio of colony forming marrow stromal progenitors (CFU-fs) that were alkaline phosphatase positive (putative osteoblasts). Our results suggest that the bone anabolic actions of PTH and GSK-3 inhibitor in vivo involve concerted effects on mesenchymal lineages; osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes.

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