Preclinical efficacy on GSK-3 inhibitors: Towards a future generation of powerful drugs

The renewed interest in glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), involved in the molecular pathogenesis Of human severe diseases, is focused on the potential of its inhibitors to treat diseases that have significant limitations in their current treatments. During the last 5 years, a lot of literature discuss progress in the search and pharmacological actions of GSK-3 inhibitors, but now, evidence have been accumulated showing preclinical efficacy for these new drugs, in very different models of several distinct pathologies. These studies have been summarized in the present review offering promising examples for new therapies for diabetes, cancer, inflammation, Alzheimer's disease and other neurological pathologies, and mood disorders. Now, clinical human trials are awaiting to confirm the ray of hope that GSK-3 inhibitors are arising for the future treatment of severe unmet diseases. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.