A new nomenclature for int-1 and related genes: the Wnt gene family

Molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis of Frizzled 6 in the small intestine of pigs (Sus scrofa)

Frizzled 6 (FZD6) encodes an integral membrane protein that functions in multiple signal transduction pathways, for example, as a receptor in Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling pathway for polarized cell migration and organ morphogenesis. Mutations in FZD6 have been identified in a variety of tumors. In this study, the full-length cDNA of Sus scrofa FZD6 (Sfz6) was cloned and characterized. Nucleotide sequence analysis demonstrates that the Sfz6 gene encodes the 712 amino-acid (aa) protein with seven transmembrane domain. Tissue distribution analysis showed that Sfz6 mRNA is ubiquitously expressed in various tissues, being highest in kidney, moderate in jejunum, ileum, colon, liver, and spleen. However, FZD6 protein is highly expressed in the heart and there was no significant difference in other tissues. The relative abundance and localization of FZD6 protein in jejunum along the crypt-villus axis was determined by Western blot and immunohistochemical localization. The results show that in the jejunum, FZD6 protein is highly expressed in the villus and less in the crypt cells. Cellular proliferation and viability assays indicate that knockdown of FZD6 with small interfering RNAs (siRNA) significantly reduced the cell viability of the intestinal porcine enterocyte cells (IPEC-J2). Furthermore, qPCR and Western blot analysis revealed that expressions of ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1); ras homolog gene family member A (RhoA) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1), some components of PCP signaling pathway were upregulated (P < 0.05) by knockdown of FZD6 in IPEC-J2 cells. In conclusion, these results showed that FZD6 abundance in the villus was higher than that in crypt cells and knockdown of FZD6 induces PCP signal pathway components expression in IPEC-J2 cells. Our findings provide the foundation for further investigation into porcine FZD6 gene.

Wnt/beta-catenin pathway: modulating anticancer immune response

Wnt/β-catenin signaling, a highly conserved pathway through evolution, regulates key cellular functions including proliferation, differentiation, migration, genetic stability, apoptosis, and stem cell renewal. The Wnt pathway mediates biological processes by a canonical or noncanonical pathway, depending on the involvement of β-catenin in signal transduction. β-catenin is a core component of the cadherin protein complex, whose stabilization is essential for the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. As multiple aberrations in this pathway occur in numerous cancers, WNT-directed therapy represents an area of significant developmental therapeutics focus. The recently described role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in regulating immune cell infiltration of the tumor microenvironment renewed the interest, given its potential impact on responses to immunotherapy treatments. This article summarizes the role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in cancer and ongoing therapeutic strategies involving this pathway.

Molecular Signaling of Progesterone, Growth Hormone, Wnt, and HER in Mammary Glands of Dogs, Rodents, and Humans: New Treatment Target Identification

Mammary tumors are the most common form of neoplasia in the bitch. Female dogs are protected when they are spayed before the first estrus cycle, but this effect readily disappears and is already absent when dogs are spayed after the second heat. As the ovaries are removed during spaying, ovarian steroids are assumed to play an essential role in tumor development. The sensitivity toward tumor development is already present during early life, which may be caused by early mutations in stem cells during the first estrus cycles. Later on in life, tumors arise that are mostly steroid-receptor positive, although a small subset of tumors overexpressing human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) and some lacking estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor (PR), and HER2 (triple negative) are present, as is the situation in humans. Progesterone (P₄), acting through PR, is the major steroid involved in outgrowth of mammary tissue. PRs are expressed in two forms, the progesterone receptor A (PRA) and progesterone receptor B (PRB) isoforms derived from splice variants from a single gene. The dog and the whole family of canids have only a functional PRA isoform, whereas the PRB isoform, if expressed at all, is devoid of intrinsic biological activity. In human breast cancer, overexpression of the PRA isoform is related to more aggressive carcinomas making the dog a unique model to study PRA-related mammary cancer. Administration of P₄ to adult dogs results in local mammary expression of growth hormone (GH) and wing less-type mouse mammary tumor virus integration site family 4 (Wnt4). Both proteins play a role in activation of mammary stem cells. In this review, we summarize what is known on P₄, GH, and Wnt signaling in canine mammary cancer, how the family of HER receptors could interact with this signaling, and what this means for comparative and translational oncological aspects of human breast cancer development.

A Tale of Two Signals: AR and WNT in Development and Tumorigenesis of Prostate and Mammary Gland

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers and among the leading causes of cancer deaths for men in industrialized countries. It has long been recognized that the prostate is an androgen-dependent organ and PCa is an androgen-dependent disease. Androgen action is mediated by the androgen receptor (AR). Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the standard treatment for metastatic PCa. However, almost all advanced PCa cases progress to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) after a period of ADT. A variety of mechanisms of progression from androgen-dependent PCa to CRPC under ADT have been postulated, but it remains largely unclear as to when and how castration resistance arises within prostate tumors. In addition, AR signaling may be modulated by extracellular factors among which are the cysteine-rich glycoproteins WNTs. The WNTs are capable of signaling through several pathways, the best-characterized being the canonical WNT/β-catenin/TCF-mediated canonical pathway. Recent studies from sequencing PCa genomes revealed that CRPC cells frequently harbor mutations in major components of the WNT/β-catenin pathway. Moreover, the finding of an interaction between β-catenin and AR suggests a possible mechanism of cross talk between WNT and androgen/AR signaling pathways. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge of both AR and WNT pathways in prostate development and tumorigenesis, and their interaction during development of CRPC. We also review the possible therapeutic application of drugs that target both AR and WNT/β-catenin pathways. Finally, we extend our review of AR and WNT signaling to the mammary gland system and breast cancer. We highlight that the role of AR signaling and its interaction with WNT signaling in these two hormone-related cancer types are highly context-dependent.

How Wnt Signaling Builds the Brain: Bridging Development and Disease

Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays a crucial role throughout all stages of brain development and remains important in the adult brain. Accordingly, many neurological disorders have been linked to Wnt signaling. Defects in Wnt signaling during neural development can give rise to birth defects or lead to neurological dysfunction later in life. Developmental signaling events can also be hijacked in the adult and result in disease. Moreover, knowledge about the physiological role of Wnt signaling in the brain might lead to new therapeutic strategies for neurological diseases. Especially, the important role for Wnt signaling in neural differentiation of pluripotent stem cells has received much attention as this might provide a cure for neurodegenerative disorders. In this review, we summarize the versatile role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling during neural development and discuss some recent studies linking Wnt signaling to neurological disorders.

Wnt Signaling in Cell Motility and Invasion: Drawing Parallels between Development and Cancer

The importance of canonical and non-canonical Wnt signal transduction cascades in embryonic development and tissue homeostasis is well recognized. The aberrant activation of these pathways in the adult leads to abnormal cellular behaviors, and tumor progression is frequently a consequence. Here we discuss recent findings and analogies between Wnt signaling in developmental processes and tumor progression, with a particular focus on cell motility and matrix invasion and highlight the roles of the ARF (ADP-Ribosylation Factor) and Rho-family small GTP-binding proteins. Wnt-regulated signal transduction from cell surface receptors, signaling endosomes and/or extracellular vesicles has the potential to profoundly influence cell movement, matrix degradation and paracrine signaling in both development and disease.

Role of the Wnt signaling molecules in the tooth

Wnt signaling plays a central role in many processes during embryonic development and adult homeostasis. At least 19 types of Wnt ligands, receptors, transducers, transcription factors, and antagonists have been identified in mammals. Two distinct Wnt signaling pathways, the canonical signaling pathway and the noncanonical signaling pathway, have been described. Some Wnt signaling pathway components are expressed in the dental epithelium and mesenchyme during tooth development in humans and mice. Functional studies and experimental analysis of relevant animal models confirm the effects of Wnt signaling pathway on the regulation of developing tooth formation and adult tooth homeostasis. Mutations in some Wnt signaling pathway components have been identified in syndromic and non-syndromic tooth agenesis. This review provides an overview of progress in elucidating the role of Wnt signaling pathway components in the tooth and the resulting possibilities for therapeutic development.

Wnt Signaling in Cardiac Disease

Wnt signaling encompasses multiple and complex signaling cascades and is involved in many developmental processes such as tissue patterning, cell fate specification, and control of cell division. Consequently, accurate regulation of signaling activities is essential for proper embryonic development. Wnt signaling is mostly silent in the healthy adult organs but a reactivation of Wnt signaling is generally observed under pathological conditions. This has generated increasing interest in this pathway from a therapeutic point of view. In this review article, the involvement of Wnt signaling in cardiovascular development will be outlined, followed by its implication in myocardial infarct healing, cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, arrhythmias, and atherosclerosis. The initial experiments not always offer consensus on the effects of activation or inactivation of the pathway, which may be attributed to (i) the type of cardiac disease, (ii) timing of the intervention, and (iii) type of cells that are targeted. Therefore, more research is needed to determine the exact implication of Wnt signaling in the conditions mentioned above to exploit it as a powerful therapeutic target.

Caught in a Wnt storm: Complexities of Wnt signaling in hematopoiesis

The Wnt signaling pathway is an evolutionary conserved pathway that is involved in the development of almost every organ system in the body and provides self-renewal signals for most, if not all, adult stem cell systems. In recent years, this pathway has been studied by various research groups working on hematopoietic stem cells, resulting in contradicting conclusions. Here, we discuss and interpret the results of these studies and propose that Wnt dosage, the source of hematopoietic stem cells, and interactions with other pathways explain these disparate results.

Signaling Pathways Involved in Mammalian Sex Determination and Gonad Development

The development of any organ system requires a complex interplay of cellular signals to initiate the differentiation and development of the heterogeneous cell and tissue types required to carry out the organs' functions. In this way, an extracellular stimulus is transmitted to an intracellular target through an array of interacting protein intermediaries, ultimately enabling the target cell to elicit a response. Surprisingly, only a small number of signaling pathways are implicated throughout embryogenesis and are used over and over again. Gonadogenesis is a unique process in that 2 morphologically distinct organs, the testes and ovaries, arise from a common precursor, the bipotential genital ridge. Accordingly, most of the signaling pathways observed throughout embryogenesis also have been shown to be important for mammalian sex determination and gonad development. Here, we review the mechanisms of signal transduction within these pathways and the importance of these pathways throughout mammalian gonad development, mainly concentrating on data obtained in mouse but including other species where appropriate.

Update of Wnt signaling in implantation and decidualization

Embryonic development into an implantation-competent blastocyst, synchronized uterine transformation into a receptive stage, and an intimate cross-talk between the activated blastocyst and the receptive uterus are essential for successful implantation, and therefore for subsequent pregnancy outcome. Evidence accumulating during recent years has underlined the importance of the Wnt signaling pathway in mammalian implantation and decidualization. Herein, this review focuses on the current state of knowledge regarding Wnt signaling in multiple implantation and decidualization events: pre-implantation embryo development, blastocyst activation for implantation, uterine development, and decidualization.

Wnt signaling in bone and muscle

Wnt signaling plays key roles in many aspects of development. In this review, we will briefly describe the components of signaling pathways induced by Wnt ligands and then describe the current state of research as this applies to aspects of development and disease as it relates to skeletal muscle and bone. We will conclude with a discussion of the parallels and differences in Wnt signaling in these two contexts and how these pathways are being (or could potentially be) targeted for therapeutic treatment of musculoskeletal diseases. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Muscle Bone Interactions".

Regulation of the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway by Human Papillomavirus E6 and E7 Oncoproteins

Cell signaling pathways are the mechanisms by which cells transduce external stimuli, which control the transcription of genes, to regulate diverse biological effects. In cancer, distinct signaling pathways, such as the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, have been implicated in the deregulation of critical molecular processes that affect cell proliferation and differentiation. For example, changes in β-catenin localization have been identified in Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers as the lesion progresses. Specifically, β-catenin relocates from the membrane/cytoplasm to the nucleus, suggesting that this transcription regulator participates in cervical carcinogenesis. The E6 and E7 oncoproteins are responsible for the transforming activity of HPV, and some studies have implicated these viral oncoproteins in the regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Nevertheless, new interactions of HPV oncoproteins with cellular proteins are emerging, and the study of the biological effects of such interactions will help to understand HPV-related carcinogenesis. This review addresses the accumulated evidence of the involvement of the HPV E6 and E7 oncoproteins in the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Powerful Drosophila screens that paved the wingless pathway

The Wnt/Wingless (Wg) signaling cascade controls a number of biological processes in animal development and adult life; aberrant Wnt/Wg signaling can cause diseases. In the 1980s genes were discovered that encode core Wnt/Wg pathway components: their mutant phenotypes were similar and an outline of a signaling cascade emerged. Over the years our knowledge of this important signaling system increased and more components were uncovered that are instrumental for Wnt/Wg secretion and transduction. Here we provide an overview of these discoveries, the technologies involved, with a particular focus on the important role Drosophila screens played in this process.

The role of Wnt signaling members in the uterus and embryo during pre-implantation and implantation

Wnt family members are best known for their roles in cell fate determination, differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis during embryonic development. Wnt signaling becomes effective during these cellular processes through the proper interaction between its ligands, receptors, effectors and inhibitors. Here we review Wnt signaling in terms of embryonic development to the blastocyst stage implantation with emphasis on endometrial changes that are critical for receptivity in the uterus. The relationship between Wnt signaling and implantation clearly reveals that, Wnt family members are critical for both early embryonic development and changing of the endometrium before implantation. Specific Wnt signaling pathway members are demonstrated to be critical for endometrial events such as decidualization and endometrial gland formation in addition to cyclic changes in the endometrium controlled by reproductive hormones. In conclusion, specific roles of Wnt members and associated factors for both uterine function and embryonic development should be further investigated with respect to the efficiency of human ARTs.

WNT signaling in bone development and homeostasis

The balance between bone formation and bone resorption controls postnatal bone homeostasis. Research over the last decade has provided a vast amount of evidence that WNT signaling plays a pivotal role in regulating this balance. Therefore, understanding how the WNT signaling pathway regulates skeletal development and homeostasis is of great value for human skeletal health and disease.

Targeting the Wnt pathway in human cancers: therapeutic targeting with a focus on OMP-54F28

The Wnt signaling pathways are a group of signal transduction pathways that play an important role in cell fate specification, cell proliferation and cell migration. Aberrant signaling in these pathways has been implicated in the development and progression of multiple cancers by allowing increased proliferation, angiogenesis, survival and metastasis. Activation of the Wnt pathway also contributes to the tumorigenicity of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Therefore, inhibiting this pathway has been a recent focus of cancer research with multiple targetable candidates in development. OMP-54F28 is a fusion protein that combines the cysteine-rich domain of frizzled family receptor 8 (Fzd8) with the immunoglobulin Fc domain that competes with the native Fzd8 receptor for its ligands and antagonizes Wnt signaling. Preclinical models with OMP-54F28 have shown reduced tumor growth and decreased CSC frequency as a single agent and in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents. Due to these findings, a phase 1a study is nearing completion with OMP-54F28 in advanced solid tumors and 3 phase 1b studies have been opened with OMP-54F28 in combination with standard-of-care chemotherapy backbones in ovarian, pancreatic and hepatocellular cancers. This article will review the Wnt signaling pathway, preclinical data on OMP-54F28 and other Wnt pathway inhibitors and ongoing clinical trials.

Challenging role of Wnt5a and its signaling pathway in cancer metastasis (Review)

Wnt5a is a noncanonical signaling member of the wingless-related/mouse mammary tumor virus integration family, which is involved in a wide range of cellular processes, particularly in cancer development and metastasis. Accumulating evidence indicates that Wnt5a exhibits paradoxical effects in various types of cancer metastasis. Therefore, the Wnt5a signaling cascade in cancer metastasis appears to be complex and may depend on binding receptors, downstream effectors, exogenous inhibitors and tumor microenvironments, as well as the extracellular matrix, particularly cell/tissue-tropic contexts. The aim of the present study was to summarize the previous findings on the roles of Wnt5a and the potential mechanisms in various types of cancer metastasis. Furthermore, it is reasonable to hypothesize that Wnt5a and the involved signaling pathways may become molecular targets in the treatment of cancer metastasis.

Postsynaptic assembly: a role for Wnt signaling

Synapse formation requires the coordinated formation of the presynaptic terminal, containing the machinery for neurotransmitter release, and the postsynaptic side that possesses the machinery for neurotransmitter reception. For coordinated pre- and postsynaptic assembly signals across the synapse are required. Wnt secreted proteins are well-known synaptogenic factors that promote the recruitment of presynaptic components in diverse organisms. However, recent studies demonstrate that Wnts act directly onto the postsynaptic side at both central and peripheral synapses to promote postsynaptic development and synaptic strength. This review focuses on the role of Wnts in postsynaptic development at central synapses and the neuromuscular junction. © 2013 The Authors. Developmental Neurobiology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 74: 818–827, 2014

Wnt signaling and hepatocarcinogenesis: molecular targets for the development of innovative anticancer drugs

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common causes of cancer death worldwide. HCC can be cured by radical therapies if early diagnosis is done while the tumor has remained of small size. Unfortunately, diagnosis is commonly late when the tumor has grown and spread. Thus, palliative approaches are usually applied such as transarterial intrahepatic chemoembolization and sorafenib, an anti-angiogenic agent and MAP kinase inhibitor. This latter is the only targeted therapy that has shown significant, although moderate, efficiency in some individuals with advanced HCC. This highlights the need to develop other targeted therapies, and to this goal, to identify more and more pathways as potential targets. The Wnt pathway is a key component of a physiological process involved in embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Activation of this pathway occurs when a Wnt ligand binds to a Frizzled (FZD) receptor at the cell membrane. Two different Wnt signaling cascades have been identified, called non-canonical and canonical pathways, the latter involving the β-catenin protein. Deregulation of the Wnt pathway is an early event in hepatocarcinogenesis and has been associated with an aggressive HCC phenotype, since it is implicated both in cell survival, proliferation, migration and invasion. Thus, component proteins identified in this pathway are potential candidates of pharmacological intervention. This review focuses on the characteristics and functions of the molecular targets of the Wnt signaling cascade and how they may be manipulated to achieve anti-tumor effects.

Human placental trophoblast invasion and differentiation: a particular focus on Wnt signaling

Wingless ligands, a family of secreted proteins, are critically involved in organ development and tissue homeostasis by ensuring balanced rates of stem cell proliferation, cell death and differentiation. Wnt signaling components also play crucial roles in murine placental development controlling trophoblast lineage determination, chorioallantoic fusion and placental branching morphogenesis. However, the role of the pathway in human placentation, trophoblast development and differentiation is only partly understood. Here, we summarize our present knowledge about Wnt signaling in the human placenta and discuss its potential role in physiological and aberrant trophoblast invasion, gestational diseases and choriocarcinoma formation. Differentiation of proliferative first trimester cytotrophoblasts into invasive extravillous trophoblasts is associated with nuclear recruitment of β -catenin and induction of Wnt-dependent T-cell factor 4 suggesting that canonical Wnt signaling could be important for the formation and function of extravillous trophoblasts. Indeed, activation of the pathway was shown to promote trophoblast invasion in different in vitro trophoblast model systems as well as trophoblast cell fusion. Methylation-mediated silencing of inhibitors of Wnt signaling provided evidence for epigenetic activation of the pathway in placental tissues and choriocarcinoma cells. Similarly, abundant nuclear expression of β -catenin in invasive trophoblasts of complete hydatidiform moles suggested a role for hyper-activated Wnt signaling. In contrast, upregulation of Wnt inhibitors was noticed in placentae of women with preeclampsia, a disease characterized by shallow trophoblast invasion and incomplete spiral artery remodeling. Moreover, changes in Wnt signaling have been observed upon cytomegalovirus infection and in recurrent abortions. In summary, the current literature suggests a critical role of Wnt signaling in physiological and abnormal trophoblast function.

Wingless/Wnt signaling in Drosophila: the pattern and the pathway

Wnt signaling generates pattern in all animal embryos, from flies and worms to humans, and promotes the undifferentiated, proliferative state critical for stem cells in adult tissues. Inappropriate Wnt pathway activation is the major cause of colorectal cancers, a leading cause of cancer death in humans. Although this pathway has been studied extensively for years, large gaps remain in our understanding of how it switches on and off, and how its activation changes cellular behaviors. Much of what is known about the pathway comes from genetic studies in Drosophila, where a single Wnt molecule, encoded by wingless (wg), directs an array of cell-fate decisions similar to those made by the combined activities of all 19 Wnt family members in vertebrates. Although Wg specifies fate in many tissues, including the brain, limbs, and major organs, the fly embryonic epidermis has proven to be a very powerful system for dissecting pathway activity. It is a simple, accessible tissue, with a pattern that is highly sensitive to small changes in Wg pathway activity. This review discusses what we have learned about Wnt signaling from studying mutations that disrupt epidermal pattern in the fly embryo, highlights recent advances and controversies in the field, and sets these issues in the context of questions that remain about how this essential signaling pathway functions.

The antihelmintic drug pyrvinium pamoate targets aggressive breast cancer

WNT signaling plays a key role in the self-renewal of tumor initiation cells (TICs). In this study, we used pyrvinium pamoate (PP), an FDA-approved antihelmintic drug that inhibits WNT signaling, to test whether pharmacologic inhibition of WNT signaling can specifically target TICs of aggressive breast cancer cells. SUM-149, an inflammatory breast cancer cell line, and SUM-159, a metaplastic basal-type breast cancer cell line, were used in these studies. We found that PP inhibited primary and secondary mammosphere formation of cancer cells at nanomolar concentrations, at least 10 times less than the dose needed to have a toxic effect on cancer cells. A comparable mammosphere formation IC50 dose to that observed in cancer cell lines was obtained using malignant pleural effusion samples from patients with IBC. A decrease in activity of the TIC surrogate aldehyde dehydrogenase was observed in PP-treated cells, and inhibition of WNT signaling by PP was associated with down-regulation of a panel of markers associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition. In vivo, intratumoral injection was associated with tumor necrosis, and intraperitoneal injection into mice with tumor xenografts caused significant tumor growth delay and a trend toward decreased lung metastasis. In in vitro mammosphere-based and monolayer-based clonogenic assays, we found that PP radiosensitized cells in monolayer culture but not mammosphere culture. These findings suggest WNT signaling inhibition may be a feasible strategy for targeting aggressive breast cancer. Investigation and modification of the bioavailability and toxicity profile of systemic PP are warranted.

Regulation of lubricin/superficial zone protein by Wnt signalling in bovine synoviocytes

Lubricin, homologous to superficial zone protein (SZP), functions as a boundary lubricant in articular cartilage and plays an essential role in the maintenance of joint function and homeostasis. Wnt signalling plays a key role in joint development, including synovial joint formation, and several Wnt proteins are expressed in the synovium and articular cartilage in arthritis. The aim of this study was to determine the role of Wnt signalling on SZP accumulation in synoviocytes. Isolated synoviocytes from bovine knee joints were cultured with Wnt proteins (Wnt-3a and Wnt-5a) and antagonists or agonists of the Wnt-β-catenin pathway or Wnt-Ca(2+) pathway in serum-free chemically defined medium. SZP accumulation in the culture medium was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Wnt-3a suppressed SZP accumulation via a Wnt-β-catenin-dependent pathway. In contrast, Wnt-5a stimulated SZP accumulation via a β-catenin independent pathway. The present investigation provides novel insights into the role of the Wnt signalling pathways in SZP accumulation in synoviocytes and their roles in the homeostasis of normal joints.

Stimulation of superficial zone protein accumulation by hedgehog and Wnt signaling in surface zone bovine articular chondrocytes

OBJECTIVE

To determine the roles of the hedgehog and Wnt signaling pathways in accumulation of superficial zone protein (SZP) in surface zone articular chondrocytes.

METHODS

Explant cultures of disks of surface zone cartilage or isolated chondrocytes from the surface zone of articular cartilage of bovine stifle joints were cultured in serum-free chemically defined medium. Accumulation of SZP in the culture medium, in response to hedgehog proteins (sonic hedgehog [SHH] and Indian hedgehog [IHH]), Wnt proteins (Wnt-3a, Wnt-5a, and Wnt-11), agonists of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway (glycogen synthase kinase 3β [GSK-3β] inhibitors), and antagonists of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, was investigated. The interaction between transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) and hedgehog proteins or antagonists of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway was also investigated.

RESULTS

Hedgehog proteins stimulated SZP accumulation. Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by Wnt-3a and GSK-3β inhibitors led to inhibition of SZP accumulation; however, Wnt-5a and Wnt-11 had no influence on SZP accumulation. Conversely, antagonists of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway stimulated SZP accumulation. In addition, there were combinatorial effects of TGFβ1 and hedgehog proteins or antagonists of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway on SZP accumulation.

CONCLUSION

SHH and IHH signaling has a stimulatory effect on SZP accumulation in surface zone cartilage and isolated articular chondrocytes. These findings provide insight into the regulatory mechanisms of articular cartilage homeostasis and maintenance by morphogens.

The way Wnt works: components and mechanism

The canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway is an ancient and evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway that is required for the proper development of all metazoans, from the basal demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica to humans. Misregulation of Wnt signaling is implicated in many human diseases, making this pathway an intense area of research in industry as well as academia. In this review, we explore our current understanding of the molecular steps involved in the transduction of a Wnt signal. We will focus on how the critical Wnt pathway component, β-catenin, is in a "futile cycle" of constant synthesis and degradation and how this cycle is disrupted upon pathway activation. We describe the role of the Wnt pathway in major human cancers and in the control of stem cell self-renewal in the developing organism and in adults. Finally, we describe well-accepted criteria that have been proposed as evidence for the involvement of a molecule in regulating the canonical Wnt pathway.

Phosphorylation of Dishevelled by protein kinase RIPK4 regulates Wnt signaling

Receptor-interacting protein kinase 4 (RIPK4) is required for epidermal differentiation and is mutated in Bartsocas-Papas syndrome. RIPK4 binds to protein kinase C, but its signaling mechanisms are largely unknown. Ectopic RIPK4, but not catalytically inactive or Bartsocas-Papas RIPK4 mutants, induced accumulation of cytosolic β-catenin and a transcriptional program similar to that caused by Wnt3a. In Xenopus embryos, Ripk4 synergized with coexpressed Xwnt8, whereas Ripk4 morpholinos or catalytic inactive Ripk4 antagonized Wnt signaling. RIPK4 interacted constitutively with the adaptor protein DVL2 and, after Wnt3a stimulation, with the co-receptor LRP6. Phosphorylation of DVL2 by RIPK4 favored canonical Wnt signaling. Wnt-dependent growth of xenografted human tumor cells was suppressed by RIPK4 knockdown, suggesting that RIPK4 overexpression may contribute to the growth of certain tumor types.

The WNT signaling pathway from ligand secretion to gene transcription: molecular mechanisms and pharmacological targets

Wingless/integrase-1 (WNT) signaling is a key pathway regulating various aspects of embryonic development; however it also underlies several pathological conditions in man, including various cancers and fibroproliferative diseases in several organs. Investigating the molecular processes involved in (canonical) WNT signaling will open new avenues for generating new therapeutics to specifically target diseases in which WNT signaling is aberrantly regulated. Here we describe the complexity of WNT signal transduction starting from the processes involved in WNT ligand biogenesis and secretion by WNT producing cells followed by a comprehensive overview of the molecular signaling events ultimately resulting in enhanced transcription of specific genes in WNT receiving cells. Finally, the possible targets for therapeutic intervention and the available pharmacological inhibitors for this complex signaling pathway are discussed.

Wnt proteins

Wnt proteins comprise a major family of signaling molecules that orchestrate and influence a myriad of cell biological and developmental processes. Although our understanding of the role of Wnt signaling in regulating development and affecting disease, such as cancer, has been ever increasing, the study of the Wnt proteins themselves has been painstaking and slow moving. Despite advances in the biochemical characterization of Wnt proteins, many mysteries remain unsolved. In contrast to other developmental signaling molecules, such as fibroblast growth factors (FGF), transforming growth factors (TGFβ), and Sonic hedgehog (Shh), Wnt proteins have not conformed to many standard methods of protein production, such as bacterial overexpression, and analysis, such as ligand-receptor binding assays. The reasons for their recalcitrant nature are likely a consequence of the complex set of posttranslational modifications involving several highly specialized and poorly characterized processing enzymes. With the recent description of the first Wnt protein structure, the time is ripe to uncover and possibly resolve many of the remaining issues surrounding Wnt proteins and their interactions. Here we describe the process of maturation of Wnt from its initial translation to its eventual release from a cell and interactions in the extracellular environment.

Structural basis of Wnt recognition by Frizzled

Wnts are lipid-modified morphogens that play critical roles in development principally through engagement of Frizzled receptors. The 3.25 angstrom structure of Xenopus Wnt8 (XWnt8) in complex with mouse Frizzled-8 (Fz8) cysteine-rich domain (CRD) reveals an unusual two-domain Wnt structure, not obviously related to known protein folds, resembling a "hand" with "thumb" and "index" fingers extended to grasp the Fz8-CRD at two distinct binding sites. One site is dominated by a palmitoleic acid lipid group projecting from serine 187 at the tip of Wnt's thumb into a deep groove in the Fz8-CRD. In the second binding site, the conserved tip of Wnt's "index finger" forms hydrophobic amino acid contacts with a depression on the opposite side of the Fz8-CRD. The conservation of amino acids in both interfaces appears to facilitate ligand-receptor cross-reactivity, which has important implications for understanding Wnt's functional pleiotropy and for developing Wnt-based drugs for cancer and regenerative medicine.

Three decades of Wnts: a personal perspective on how a scientific field developed

Wnt genes and components of Wnt signalling pathways have been implicated in a wide spectrum of important biological phenomena, ranging from early organismal development to cell behaviours to several diseases, especially cancers. Emergence of the field of Wnt signalling can be largely traced back to the discovery of the first mammalian Wnt gene in 1982. In this essay, we mark the thirtieth anniversary of that discovery by describing some of the critical scientific developments that led to the flowering of this field of research.

Wnt signalling in smooth muscle cells and its role in cardiovascular disorders

Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are the major cell type within blood vessels. SMCs exhibit low rates of proliferation, migration, and apoptosis in normal blood vessels. However, increased SMC proliferation, migration, and apoptosis rates radically alter the composition and structure of the blood vessel wall and contribute to cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, and restenosis that occur after coronary artery vein grafting and stent implantation. Consequently, therapies that modulate SMC proliferation, migration, and apoptosis may be useful for treating cardiovascular diseases. The family of Wnt proteins, which were first identified in the wingless drosophila, has a well-established role in embryogenesis and development. It is now emerging that Wnt proteins also regulate SMC proliferation, migration, and survival. In this review article, we discuss recently emerging research that has revealed that Wnt proteins are important regulators of SMC behaviour via activation of β-catenin-dependent and β-catenin-independent Wnt signalling pathways.

The structure of Wntch signalling and the resolution of transition states in development

During development, the emergence of different cell fates and their patterning into tissues and organs requires spatio-temporal coordination that controls the relative number of different cell types. Genetic analyses in different systems have revealed that interactions between Wnt and Notch signalling play pervasive roles in these processes. While many of these interactions can be explained in terms of transcriptional cross-talk between the effectors of these pathways, some of them require a different explanation. Experiments in Drosophila, Xenopus and mouse have revealed that Notch plays an important role in the modulation of the transcriptional activity of β-catenin (the main effector of Wnt signalling pathway, independently of its well characterized function as a membrane tethered transcription factor. These studies suggest that rather than two separate pathways, elements of Wnt and Notch signalling configure a single functional module, Wntch, that plays a key role in the resolution of cell fate decisions. Here we review the evidence for Wntch and present a current circuit view of the system, its control and its role in development with a special focus on stem cell populations.

Wnt signaling and cardiac differentiation

The Wnt family of secreted glycoproteins participates in a wide array of biological processes, including cellular differentiation, proliferation, survival, apoptosis, adhesion, angiogenesis, hypertrophy, and aging. The canonical Wnt signaling primarily utilizes β-catenin-mediated activation of transcription, while the noncanonical mechanisms involve a calcium-dependent protein kinase C-mediated Wnt/Ca(2+) pathway and a dishevelled-dependent c-Jun N-terminal kinase-mediated planar cell polarity pathway. Although both canonical and noncanonical Wnts have been implicated in cardiac specification, morphogenesis, and differentiation; the molecular events remain unclear and often depend on the cell type and biological context. In this regard, growing evidence indicates that Wnt11 is able to induce cardiogenesis not only during embryonic development but also in adult cells. The cardiogenic properties of Wnt11 may prove useful for preprogramming adult stem cells before myocardial transplantation. Further, elucidation of the molecular steps in Wnt11-induced cardiac differentiation will be necessary to enhance the outcomes of cardiac cell therapy.

Elevated level of Wnt5a protein in localized prostate cancer tissue is associated with better outcome

BACKGROUND

Wnt5a is a non-canonical secreted glycoprotein of the Wnt family that plays an important role in cancer development and progression. Previous studies report that Wnt5a is upregulated in prostate cancer and suggested that Wnt5a affects migration and invasion of prostate tumor cell. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of Wnt5a protein expression in prostate cancer tissue and its potential to predict outcome after radical prostatectomy in patients with localized prostate cancer.

METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS

Immunohistochemical analysis of a tissue microarray containing prostate specimens of 503 patients with localized prostate cancer showed significantly higher Wnt5a protein expression in cancer compared to benign cores from the same patients (p<0.0001). Patients with high expression of Wnt5a protein had significantly better outcome in terms of time to biochemical recurrence compared to patients with low expression levels (p = 0.001, 95%CI 1.361-3.570, Hazard's ratio 2.204). A combination of high Wnt5a expression with low levels of Ki-67 or androgen receptor expression had even better outcome compared to all other groups. Furthermore, we found that Wnt5a expression significantly correlated with VEGF and with Ki-67 and androgen receptor expression, although not highly significant. In vitro, we demonstrated that recombinant Wnt5a decreased invasion of 22Rv1 and DU145 cells and that siRNA knockdown of endogenous Wnt5a protein led to increased invasion of 22Rv1 and LNCaP cells.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrate that preserved overexpression of Wnt5a protein in patients with localized prostate cancer predicts a favorable outcome after surgery. This finding together with our in vitro data demonstrating the ability of Wnt5a to impair the invasive properties of prostate cancer cells, suggests a tumor suppressing effect of Wnt5a in localized prostate cancer. These results indicate that Wnt5a can be used as a predictive marker and that it also is a plausible therapeutic target for treatment of localized prostate cancer.

Implication of Wnt signaling in neuronal polarization

Wnt ligands comprise a large family of secreted glycoproteins that control a variety of developmental processes including cell polarization in diverse organisms. Through various receptors present on receiving cells, Wnts initiate intracellular signaling cascades resulting in changes in gene transcription or cytoskeleton reorganization. Recently, several lines of evidence have suggested the role of Wnt signaling in establishing axon-dendrite polarity in developing neurons. In this review, we summarize the recent results related with the role of Wnt signaling in neuronal polarization.

En1 and Wnt signaling in midbrain dopaminergic neuronal development

Dopaminergic neurons of the ventral mesodiencephalon are affected in significant health disorders such as Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and addiction. The ultimate goal of current research endeavors is to improve the clinical treatment of such disorders, such as providing a protocol for cell replacement therapy in Parkinson's disease that will successfully promote the specific differentiation of a stem cell into a dopaminergic neuronal phenotype. Decades of research on the developmental mechanisms of the mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) system have led to the identification of many signaling pathways and transcription factors critical in its development. The unraveling of these pathways will help fill in the pieces of the puzzle that today dominates neurodevelopment research: how to make and maintain a mdDA neuron. In the present review, we provide an overview of the mdDA system, the processes and signaling molecules involved in its genesis, with a focus on the transcription factor En1 and the canonical Wnt pathway, highlighting recent findings on their relevance--and interplay--in the development and maintenance of the mdDA system.

Wnt/β-catenin Signaling in Normal and Cancer Stem Cells

The ability of Wnt ligands to initiate a signaling cascade that results in cytoplasmic stabilization of, and nuclear localization of, β-catenin underlies their ability to regulate progenitor cell differentiation. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge of the mechanisms underlying Wnt/β-catenin signaling and how the pathway regulates normal differentiation of stem cells in the intestine, mammary gland, and prostate. We will also discuss how dysregulation of the pathway is associated with putative cancer stem cells and the potential therapeutic implications of regulating Wnt signaling.

Wnt1 is a proangiogenic molecule, enhances human endothelial progenitor function, and increases blood flow to ischemic limbs in a HGF-dependent manner

Human endothelial progenitor cells (hEPCs) participate in neovascularization of ischemic tissues. Function and number of hEPCs decline in patients with cardiovascular disease, and therapeutic strategies to enhance hEPC function remain an important field of investigation. The Wnt signaling system, comprising 19 lipophilic proteins, regulates vascular patterning in the developing embryo. However, the effects of Wnts on hEPCs and the adult vasculature remain unclear. We demonstrate here that Wnt1 is expressed in a subset of endothelial cells lining the murine embryonic dorsal aorta and is reactivated in malignant angiosarcoma, suggesting a strong association of Wnt1 with angiogenesis. We investigate the effects of Wnt1 in enhancing hEPC function and blood flow to ischemic tissues and show that Wnt1 enhances the proliferative and angiogenic functions of hEPCs in a hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-dependent manner. Injection of Wnt1-expressing hEPCs increases blood flow and capillary density in murine ischemic hindlimbs. Furthermore, injection of Wnt1 protein alone similarly increases blood flow and capillary density in ischemic hindlimbs, and this effect is associated with increased HGF expression in ischemic muscle. These findings demonstrate that Wnt1, a marker of neural crest cells and hitherto unknown angiogenic function, is a novel angiogenic protein that is expressed in developing endothelial cells, exerts salutary effects on postnatal hEPCs, and can be therapeutically deployed to increase blood flow and angiogenesis in ischemic tissues.

Cardiopoietic factors: extracellular signals for cardiac lineage commitment

Cardiac muscle creation during embryogenesis requires extracellular instructive signals that are regulated precisely in time and space, intersecting with intracellular genetic programs that confer or fashion the ability of the cells to respond. Unmasking the essential signals for cardiac lineage decisions has paramount importance for cardiac development and regenerative medicine, including the directed differentiation of progenitor and stem cells to a cardiac muscle fate.

Conservation, loss, and redeployment of Wnt ligands in protostomes: implications for understanding the evolution of segment formation

BACKGROUND

The Wnt genes encode secreted glycoprotein ligands that regulate a wide range of developmental processes, including axis elongation and segmentation. There are thirteen subfamilies of Wnt genes in metazoans and this gene diversity appeared early in animal evolution. The loss of Wnt subfamilies appears to be common in insects, but little is known about the Wnt repertoire in other arthropods, and moreover the expression and function of these genes have only been investigated in a few protostomes outside the relatively Wnt-poor model species Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans. To investigate the evolution of this important gene family more broadly in protostomes, we surveyed the Wnt gene diversity in the crustacean Daphnia pulex, the chelicerates Ixodes scapularis and Achaearanea tepidariorum, the myriapod Glomeris marginata and the annelid Platynereis dumerilii. We also characterised Wnt gene expression in the latter three species, and further investigated expression of these genes in the beetle Tribolium castaneum.

RESULTS

We found that Daphnia and Platynereis both contain twelve Wnt subfamilies demonstrating that the common ancestors of arthropods, ecdysozoans and protostomes possessed all members of all Wnt subfamilies except Wnt3. Furthermore, although there is striking loss of Wnt genes in insects, other arthropods have maintained greater Wnt gene diversity. The expression of many Wnt genes overlap in segmentally reiterated patterns and in the segment addition zone, and while these patterns can be relatively conserved among arthropods and the annelid, there have also been changes in the expression of some Wnt genes in the course of protostome evolution. Nevertheless, our results strongly support the parasegment as the primary segmental unit in arthropods, and suggest further similarities between segmental and parasegmental regulation by Wnt genes in annelids and arthropods respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite frequent losses of Wnt gene subfamilies in lineages such as insects, nematodes and leeches, most protostomes have probably maintained much of their ancestral repertoire of twelve Wnt genes. The maintenance of a large set of these ligands could be in part due to their combinatorial activity in various tissues rather than functional redundancy. The activity of such Wnt 'landscapes' as opposed to the function of individual ligands could explain the patterns of conservation and redeployment of these genes in important developmental processes across metazoans. This requires further analysis of the expression and function of these genes in a wider range of taxa.

International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. LXXX. The class Frizzled receptors

The receptor class Frizzled, which has recently been categorized as a separate group of G protein-coupled receptors by the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, consists of 10 Frizzleds (FZD(1-10)) and Smoothened (SMO). The FZDs are activated by secreted lipoglycoproteins of the Wingless/Int-1 (WNT) family, whereas SMO is indirectly activated by the Hedgehog (HH) family of proteins acting on the transmembrane protein Patched (PTCH). Recent years have seen major advances in our knowledge about these seven-transmembrane-spanning proteins, including: receptor function, molecular mechanisms of signal transduction, and the receptor's role in embryonic patterning, physiology, cancer, and other diseases. Despite intense efforts, many question marks and challenges remain in mapping receptor-ligand interaction, signaling routes, mechanisms of specificity and how these molecular details underlie disease and also the receptor's important role in physiology. This review therefore focuses on the molecular aspects of WNT/FZD and HH/SMO signaling discussing receptor structure, mechanisms of signal transduction, accessory proteins, receptor dynamics, and the possibility of targeting these signaling pathways pharmacologically.

Of mice and women: A short history of mouse mammary cancer research with an emphasis on the paradigms inspired by the transplantation method

The ability to transplant mammary epithelial cells of any age or developmental stage to the normal anatomical site of an inbred recipient mouse strain has revolutionized the studies of mammary development and tumor biology over the past 50 years. This simple method has made the mammary gland of the rodent one of the most accessible and studied organs and facilitated our understanding of the fundamental cellular and molecular properties of normal and neoplastic development. This short review outlines the early concepts that led to the development of the transplantation technology and the impact of this method on our understanding for a variety of processes important both for the normal development and differentiation of the gland as well as the phenomena of neoplastic progression.