GSK3β Is Involved in JNK2-Mediated β-Catenin Inhibition

BACKGROUND: We have recently reported that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) JNK1 downregulates β-catenin signaling and plays a critical role in regulating intestinal homeostasis and in suppressing tumor formation. This study was designed to determine whether JNK2, another MAPK, has similar and/or different functions in the regulation of β-catenin signaling. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used an in vitro system with manipulation of JNK2 and β-catenin expression and found that activated JNK2 increased GSK3β activity and inhibited β-catenin expression and transcriptional activity. However, JNK2-mediated downregulation of β-catenin was blocked by the proteasome inhibitor MG132 and GSK3β inhibitor lithium chloride. Moreover, targeted mutations at GSK3β phosphorylation sites (Ser33 and Ser37) of β-catenin abrogated JNK2-mediated suppression of β-catenin. In vivo studies further revealed that JNK2 deficiency led to upregulation of β-catenin and increase of GSK3-β phosphorylation in JNK2-/- mouse intestinal epithelial cells. Additionally, physical interaction and co-localization among JNK2, β-catenin and GSK3β were observed by immunoprecipitation, mammalian two-hybridization assay and confocal microscopy, respectively. CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE: In general, our data suggested that JNK2, like JNK1, interacts with and suppresses β-catenin signaling in vitro and in vivo, in which GSK3β plays a key role, although previous studies have shown distinct functions of JNK1 and JNK2. Our study also provides a novel insight into the crosstalk between Wnt/β-catenin and MAPK JNKs signaling.