Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β inhibits BMSCs Chondrogenesis in Inflammation via the Cross-Reaction between NF-κB and β-Catenin in the Nucleus

Inflammation can influence the pluripotency and self-renewal of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), thereby altering their cartilage regeneration ability. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were isolated and found to be defective in differentiation potential in the interleukin-1β- (IL-1β-) induced inflammatory microenvironment. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) is an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine kinase that plays a role in numerous cellular processes. The role of GSK-3β in inflammation may be related to the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, whose mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we found that GSK-3β can inhibit chondrogenesis of IL-1β-impaired BMSCs by disrupting metabolic balance and promoting cell apoptosis. By using the inhibitors LiCl and SN50, we demonstrated that GSK-3β regulates the chondrogenesis via the NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways and possibly mediates the cross-reaction between NF-κB and β-catenin in the nucleus. Given the molecular mechanisms of GSK-3β in chondrogenic differentiation in inflammation, GSK-3β is a crucial target for the treatment of inflammation-induced cartilage disease.