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Post Y, Lu C, Fletcher RB, Yeh WC, Nguyen H, Lee SJ, Li Y. Design principles and therapeutic applications of novel synthetic WNT signaling agonists. iScience 2024; 27:109938. [PMID: 38832011 PMCID: PMC11145361 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Wingless-related integration site or Wingless and Int-1 or Wingless-Int (WNT) signaling is crucial for embryonic development, and adult tissue homeostasis and regeneration, through its essential roles in cell fate, patterning, and stem cell regulation. The biophysical characteristics of WNT ligands have hindered efforts to interrogate ligand activity in vivo and prevented their development as therapeutics. Recent breakthroughs have enabled the generation of synthetic WNT signaling molecules that possess characteristics of natural ligands and potently activate the pathway, while also providing distinct advantages for therapeutic development and manufacturing. This review provides a detailed discussion of the protein engineering of these molecular platforms for WNT signaling agonism. We discuss the importance of WNT signaling in several organs and share insights from the initial application of these new classes of molecules in vitro and in vivo. These molecules offer a unique opportunity to enhance our understanding of how WNT signaling agonism promotes tissue repair, enabling targeted development of tailored therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yorick Post
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Chenggang Lu
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Russell B. Fletcher
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Wen-Chen Yeh
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Huy Nguyen
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Sung-Jin Lee
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Yang Li
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
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Gong Y, Liu Z, Zhang X, Shen S, Xu Q, Zhao H, Shang J, Li W, Wang Y, Chen J, Liu X, Zheng QY. Endolymphatic Hydrop Phenotype in Familial Norrie Disease Caused by Large Fragment Deletion of NDP. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:771328. [PMID: 35517050 PMCID: PMC9062296 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.771328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Norrie disease (ND; OMIM 310600), a rare X-linked recessive genetic disorder, is characterized by congenital blindness and occasionally, sensorineural hearing loss, and developmental delay. The congenital blindness of ND patients is almost untreatable; thus, hearing is particularly important for them. However, the mechanism of hearing loss of ND patients is unclear, and no good treatment is available except wearing hearing-aid. Therefore, revealing the mechanism of hearing loss in ND patients and exploring effective treatment methods are greatly important. In addition, as a serious monogenic genetic disease, convenient gene identification method is important for ND patients and their family members, as well as prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic diagnosis to block intergenerational transmission of pathogenic genes. In this study, a Norrie family with two male patients was reported. This pedigree was ND caused by large fragment deletion of NDP (norrin cystine knot growth factor NDP) gene. In addition to typical severe ophthalmologic and audiologic defects, the patients showed new pathological features of endolymphatic hydrops (EH), and they also showed acoustic nerves abnormal as described in a very recent report. PCR methods were developed to analyze and diagnose the variation of the family members. This study expands the understanding of the clinical manifestation and pathogenesis of ND and provides a new idea for the treatment of patients in this family and a convenient method for the genetic screen for this ND family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuerong Gong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China
| | - Zhang Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Institute of Otolaryngology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Institute of Otolaryngology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China
| | - Shuang Shen
- Institute of Hearing and Speech Rehabilitation, College of Special Education, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Qijun Xu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Institute of Otolaryngology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China
| | - Hongchun Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Institute of Otolaryngology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China
| | - Jing Shang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Institute of Otolaryngology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China
| | - Weiguo Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China
| | - Yanfei Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Institute of Otolaryngology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Institute of Otolaryngology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jun Chen,
| | - Xiuzhen Liu
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China
- Xiuzhen Liu,
| | - Qing Yin Zheng
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
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