Gsk-3-Mediated Proteasomal Degradation of ATF4 Is a Proapoptotic Mechanism in Mouse Pancreatic β-Cells

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a key pathogenic factor in type 1 and 2 diabetes. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (Gsk-3) contributes to β-cell loss in mice. However, the mechanism by which Gsk-3 leads β-cell death remains unclear. ER stress was pharmacologically induced in mouse primary islets and insulinoma cells. We used insulinoma cells derived from Akita mice as a model of genetic ER stress. Gsk-3 activity was blocked by treating with Gsk-3 inhibitors or by introducing catalytically inactive Gsk-3β. Gsk-3 inhibition prevented proteasomal degradation of activating transcriptional factor 4 (ATF4) and alleviated apoptosis. We found that ATF4-S214 was phosphorylated by Gsk-3, and that this was required for a binding of ATF4 with βTrCP, which mediates polyubiquitination. The anti-apoptotic effect of Gsk-3 inhibition was attenuated by introducing DN-ATF4 or by knockdown of ATF4. Mechanistically, Gsk-3 inhibition modulated transcription targets of ATF4 and in turn facilitated dephosphorylation of eIF2α, altering the protein translational dynamism under ER stress. These observations were reproduced in the Akita mouse-derived cells. Thus, these results reveal the role of Gsk-3 in the regulation of the integrated stress response, and provide a rationale for inhibiting this enzyme to prevent β-cell death under ER stress conditions