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Wnt Family Member 9b (Wnt9b) Is a Sensitive and Specific Marker for Triple-negative Breast Carcinoma Including Metaplastic Carcinoma. Am J Surg Pathol 2023; 47:47-54. [PMID: 36525542 DOI: 10.1097/pas.0000000000002001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Wnt9b was recently identified as a highly sensitive and specific marker for breast carcinomas. Due to the limited number of triple-negative breast carcinomas (TNBCs) in previous study, we further explored Wnt9b's utility in breast carcinoma, especially in TNBCs including metaplastic carcinomas. We systematically evaluated Wnt9b expression on tissue microarrays (TMAs) from 413 breast carcinomas, 208 urothelial carcinomas, 102 endometrial carcinomas, 109 cholangiocarcinomas, 192 ovarian carcinomas, 48 lung adenocarcinomas, 69 colorectal adenocarcinomas, and 78 melanomas, and whole tissue section (WTS) from 20 human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive, 34 nonmetaplastic TNBCs, and 67 invasive metaplastic carcinomas. The results showed Wnt9b was highly expressed in breast carcinomas (91% on TMA and 98% on WTS) and in nonmetaplastic TNBCs (91% on TMA and 97% on WTS), but almost completely negative in other tested tumor types. Wnt9b was also highly expressed in metaplastic carcinomas (80%), significantly higher than GATA3 (56%) and SOX10 (48%), but slightly lower than TRPS1 (90%). In summary, our results demonstrate that Wnt9b is a highly sensitive marker for breast carcinomas, including TNBCs and metaplastic carcinomas. Further, we compared its utility with other breast markers including TRPS1, GATA3, and SOX10 in metaplastic carcinomas.
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Pepke ML, Kvalnes T, Lundregan S, Boner W, Monaghan P, Saether BE, Jensen H, Ringsby TH. Genetic architecture and heritability of early-life telomere length in a wild passerine. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:6360-6381. [PMID: 34825754 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Early-life telomere length (TL) is associated with fitness in a range of organisms. Little is known about the genetic basis of variation in TL in wild animal populations, but to understand the evolutionary and ecological significance of TL it is important to quantify the relative importance of genetic and environmental variation in TL. In this study, we measured TL in 2746 house sparrow nestlings sampled across 20 years and used an animal model to show that there is a small heritable component of early-life TL (h2 = 0.04). Variation in TL among individuals was mainly driven by environmental (annual) variance, but also brood and parental effects. Parent-offspring regressions showed a large maternal inheritance component in TL ( h maternal 2 = 0.44), but no paternal inheritance. We did not find evidence for a negative genetic correlation underlying the observed negative phenotypic correlation between TL and structural body size. Thus, TL may evolve independently of body size and the negative phenotypic correlation is likely to be caused by nongenetic environmental effects. We further used genome-wide association analysis to identify genomic regions associated with TL variation. We identified several putative genes underlying TL variation; these have been inferred to be involved in oxidative stress, cellular growth, skeletal development, cell differentiation and tumorigenesis in other species. Together, our results show that TL has a low heritability and is a polygenic trait strongly affected by environmental conditions in a free-living bird.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Le Pepke
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Thomas Kvalnes
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Sarah Lundregan
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Winnie Boner
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine (IBAHCM), University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine (IBAHCM), University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Bernt-Erik Saether
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Henrik Jensen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Thor Harald Ringsby
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
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Ding Q, Huo L, Peng Y, Yoon EC, Li Z, Sahin AA. Immunohistochemical Markers for Distinguishing Metastatic Breast Carcinoma from Other Common Malignancies: Update and Revisit. Semin Diagn Pathol 2022; 39:313-321. [DOI: 10.1053/j.semdp.2022.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Lu S, Yakirevich E, Yang D, Xiao Y, Wang LJ, Wang Y. Wnt Family Member 9b (Wnt9b) Is a New Sensitive and Specific Marker for Breast Cancer. Am J Surg Pathol 2021; 45:1633-1640. [PMID: 34324458 DOI: 10.1097/pas.0000000000001784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Confirming the tumor origin is often a diagnostic challenge in pathology and carries significant therapeutic impacts. Cytokeratin 7, estrogen receptor, and GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3) are well-established diagnostic markers frequently used to support a tumor's breast origin. However, their specificities still have room to improve. Many nonbreast tumors express cytokeratin 7 and estrogen receptor, and urothelial tumors frequently express GATA3. There is a practical need for a new breast lineage marker that is sensitive and specific. Wnt family member proteins play critical roles in embryo development, tissue homeostasis and tumor development through β-catenin dependent and independent pathways. The current study evaluated Wnt9b and GATA3 expression in 163 primary breast cancers, 63 metastatic breast cancers, and 525 nonbreast epithelial tumors. The positive rates of Wnt9b and GATA3 in primary breast cancer were both 98.7%. The positive rates in metastatic breast cancer were 87.3% for Wnt9b and 96.8% for GATA3. For nonbreast tumors, including 64 cases of urothelial carcinoma, Wnt9b was negative in all except salivary gland carcinomas. The study demonstrated that Wnt9b is a breast cancer marker with similar sensitivity as GATA3 but with greater specificity than GATA3 and may ultimately become a useful diagnostic tool in routine surgical pathology practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaolei Lu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
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Suthon S, Perkins RS, Bryja V, Miranda-Carboni GA, Krum SA. WNT5B in Physiology and Disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:667581. [PMID: 34017835 PMCID: PMC8129536 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.667581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
WNT5B, a member of the WNT family of proteins that is closely related to WNT5A, is required for cell migration, cell proliferation, or cell differentiation in many cell types. WNT5B signals through the non-canonical β-catenin-independent signaling pathway and often functions as an antagonist of canonical WNT signaling. Although WNT5B has a high amino acid identity with WNT5A and is often assumed to have similar activities, WNT5B often exhibits unique expression patterns and functions. Here, we describe the distinct effects and mechanisms of WNT5B on development, bone, adipose tissue, cardiac tissue, the nervous system, the mammary gland, the lung and hematopoietic cells, compared to WNT5A. We also highlight aberrances in non-canonical WNT5B signaling contributing to diseases such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, neuropathology, and chronic diseases associated with aging, as well as various cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarocha Suthon
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Rachel S Perkins
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Vitezslav Bryja
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- Department of Cytokinetics, Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czechia
| | - Gustavo A Miranda-Carboni
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
- Center for Cancer Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Susan A Krum
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
- Center for Cancer Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
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Vriend J, Marzban H. The ubiquitin-proteasome system and chromosome 17 in cerebellar granule cells and medulloblastoma subgroups. Cell Mol Life Sci 2017; 74:449-467. [PMID: 27592301 PMCID: PMC11107675 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-016-2354-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Revised: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chromosome 17 abnormalities are often observed in medulloblastomas (MBs), particularly those classified in the consensus Groups 3 and 4. Herein we review MB signature genes associated with chromosome 17 and the relationship of these signature genes to the ubiquitin-proteasome system. While clinical investigators have not focused on the ubiquitin-proteasome system in relation to MB, a substantial amount of data on the topic has been hidden in the form of supplemental datasets of gene expression. A supplemental dataset associated with the Thompson classification of MBs shows that a subgroup of MB with 17p deletions is characterized by reduced expression of genes for several core particle subunits of the beta ring of the proteasome (β1, β4, β5, β7). One of these genes (PSMB6, the gene for the β1 subunit) is located on chromosome 17, near the telomeric end of 17p. By comparison, in the WNT group of MBs only one core proteasome subunit, β6, associated with loss of a gene (PSMB1) on chromosome 6, was down-regulated in this dataset. The MB subgroups with the worst prognosis have a significant association with chromosome 17 abnormalities and irregularities of APC/C cyclosome genes. We conclude that the expression of proteasome subunit genes and genes for ubiquitin ligases can contribute to prognostic classification of MBs. The therapeutic value of targeting proteasome subunits and ubiquitin ligases in the various subgroups of MB remains to be determined separately for each classification of MB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerry Vriend
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Rm134, BMSB, 745 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0J9, Canada.
| | - Hassan Marzban
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Rm134, BMSB, 745 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0J9, Canada
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM), Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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Abstract
The process of sexual differentiation is central for reproduction of almost all metazoan and therefore for maintenance of practically all multicellular organisms. In sex development we can distinguish two different processes: First, sex determination is the developmental decision that directs the undifferentiated embryo into a sexually dimorphic individual. In mammals, sex determination equals gonadal development. The second process known as sex differentiation takes place once the sex determination decision has been made through factors produced by the gonads that determine the development of the phenotypic sex. Most of the knowledge on the factors involved in sexual development came from animal models and from studies of cases in whom the genetic or the gonadal sex does not match the phenotypical sex, i.e., patients affected by disorders of sex development (DSD). Generally speaking, factors influencing sex determination are transcriptional regulators, whereas factors important for sex differentiation are secreted hormones and their receptors. This review focuses on the factors involved in gonadal determination, and whenever possible, references on the "prismatic" clinical cases are given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Biason-Lauber
- Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 5, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland.
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Ma W, Li Y, Wang M, Li H, Su T, Li Y, Wang S. Associations of Polymorphisms in WNT9B and PBX1 with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser Syndrome in Chinese Han. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130202. [PMID: 26075712 PMCID: PMC4468103 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Accepted: 05/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is a rare syndrome that is characterized by congenital aplasia of the uterus and the upper portion (2/3) of the vagina. Previous attempts to identify causal mutations of MRKH syndrome have primarily resulted in negative outcomes. We investigated whether these reported variants are associated with MRKH syndrome (types I and II) in a relatively large sample size of Chinese Han patients, and whether any gene-gene epistatic interactions exist among these variants. METHODS This study included 182 unrelated Chinese women with MRKH syndrome (155 with type I and 27 with type II) and 228 randomized female controls. Seventeen candidate loci in the AMH, PBX1, WNT4, WNT7A, WNT9B, HOXA10, HOXA11, LHXA1 and GALT genes were genotyped using the Sequenom MassARRAY iPLEX platform. Single-marker association, additive effects and multifactor interactions were investigated. RESULTS The gene frequency distributions of MRKH type 1 and type 2 were similar. Rs34072914 in WNT9B was found to be associated with MRKH syndrome (P = 0.024, OR = 2.65, 95%CI = 1.14-6.17). The dominant models of rs34072914 and rs2275558 in WNT9B and PBX1, respectively, were significantly associated with MRKH syndrome risk in the Chinese Han patients. Additive gene-gene interaction analyses indicated a significant synergetic interaction between WNT9B and PBX1 (RERI = 1.397, AP = 0.493, SI = 4.204). Multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) analysis revealed novel dimensional epistatic four-gene effects (AMH, PBX1, WNT7A and WNT9B) in MRKH syndrome. CONCLUSIONS This association study successfully identified two susceptibility SNPs (WNT9B and PBX1) associated with MRKH syndrome risk, both separately and interactively. The discovery of a four-gene epistatic effect (AMH, PBX1, WNT7A and WNT9B) in MRKH syndrome provides novel information for the elucidation of the genetic mechanism underlying the etiology of MRKH syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqing Ma
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Ya Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Man Wang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Haixia Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Tiefen Su
- Department of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Shixuan Wang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China
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Van Camp JK, Beckers S, Zegers D, Van Hul W. Wnt Signaling and the Control of Human Stem Cell Fate. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2013; 10:207-29. [DOI: 10.1007/s12015-013-9486-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Tang R, Dang Y, Qin Y, Zou S, Li G, Wang Y, Chen ZJ. WNT9B in 542 Chinese women with Müllerian duct abnormalities: mutation analysis. Reprod Biomed Online 2013; 28:503-7. [PMID: 24581601 DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2013.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2013] [Revised: 11/10/2013] [Accepted: 11/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The WNT9B gene is a common organizing signal regulating different segments of the mammalian urogenital system and plays a primary role in the development of the female reproductive tract. The aim of the present work was to examine the presence of WNT mutations in a population of women with Müllerian duct abnormalities (MDA) in order to elucidate whether mutations in WNT9B are causative for MDA in Chinese women. Initially, 191 Chinese MDA patients and 192 healthy individuals (controls) were recruited. All coding regions were amplified by PCR and sequenced to search for variants. To verify the initial results, the numbers of patients and ethnic-matched controls were expanded to 542 and 563, respectively. One known single-nucleotide polymorphism and four novel variants were identified in the first stage: two were synonymous; the other two were rare nonsynonymous novel variants (c.566G>A (p.Arg189Gln) and c.773G>A (p.Arg258His)). None of the four novel variants was found in controls. In the second stage, both novel nonsynonymous variants were detected in MDA cases and controls. The results indicate that mutations in the coding sequence of WNT9B are not responsible for MDA in the Chinese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Tang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Jinan 250021, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, 250021, China; The Key Laboratory for Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, 250021, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine,324 Jingwu Road, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Yujie Dang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Jinan 250021, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, 250021, China; The Key Laboratory for Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, 250021, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine,324 Jingwu Road, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Yingying Qin
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Jinan 250021, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, 250021, China; The Key Laboratory for Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, 250021, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine,324 Jingwu Road, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Shuhua Zou
- Qingdao Women and Children Medical Healthcare Center, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Guangyu Li
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Jinan 250021, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, 250021, China; The Key Laboratory for Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, 250021, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine,324 Jingwu Road, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zi-Jiang Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Jinan 250021, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, 250021, China; The Key Laboratory for Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, 250021, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine,324 Jingwu Road, Jinan 250021, China; Center for Reproductive Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Janssen R, Le Gouar M, Pechmann M, Poulin F, Bolognesi R, Schwager EE, Hopfen C, Colbourne JK, Budd GE, Brown SJ, Prpic NM, Kosiol C, Vervoort M, Damen WGM, Balavoine G, McGregor AP. Conservation, loss, and redeployment of Wnt ligands in protostomes: implications for understanding the evolution of segment formation. BMC Evol Biol 2010; 10:374. [PMID: 21122121 PMCID: PMC3003278 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-10-374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2010] [Accepted: 12/01/2010] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Janssen
- Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Villavägen 16, SE-75236 Uppsala, Sweden
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Dy P, Smits P, Silvester A, Penzo-Méndez A, Dumitriu B, Han Y, de la Motte CA, Kingsley DM, Lefebvre V. Synovial joint morphogenesis requires the chondrogenic action of Sox5 and Sox6 in growth plate and articular cartilage. Dev Biol 2010; 341:346-59. [PMID: 20206616 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2009] [Revised: 02/04/2010] [Accepted: 02/16/2010] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying synovial joint development remain poorly understood. Here we use complete and cell-specific gene inactivation to identify the roles of the redundant chondrogenic transcription factors Sox5 and Sox6 in this process. We show that joint development aborts early in complete mutants (Sox5(-/-)6(-/-)). Gdf5 and Wnt9a expression is punctual in articular progenitor cells, but Sox9 downregulation and cell condensation in joint interzones are late. Joint cell differentiation is unsuccessful, regardless of lineage, and cavitation fails. Sox5 and Sox6 restricted expression to chondrocytes in wild-type embryos and continued Erg expression and weak Ihh expression in Sox5(-/-)6(-/-) growth plates suggest that growth plate failure contribute to this Sox5(-/-)6(-/-) joint morphogenesis block. Sox5/6 inactivation in specified joint cells and chondrocytes (Sox5(fl/fl)6(fl/fl)Col2Cre) also results in a joint morphogenesis block, whereas Sox5/6 inactivation in specified joint cells only (Sox5(fl/fl)6(fl/fl)Gdf5Cre) results in milder joint defects and normal growth plates. Sox5(fl/fl)6(fl/fl)Gdf5Cre articular chondrocytes remain undifferentiated, as shown by continued Gdf5 expression and pancartilaginous gene downregulation. Along with Prg4 downregulation, these defects likely account for joint tissue overgrowth and incomplete cavitation in adult mice. Together, these data suggest that synovial joint morphogenesis relies on essential roles for Sox5/6 in promoting both growth plate and articular chondrocyte differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Dy
- Department of Cell Biology, and Orthopaedic and Rheumatologic Research Center, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue (NC-10), Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
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14
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Geetha-Loganathan P, Nimmagadda S, Antoni L, Fu K, Whiting CJ, Francis-West P, Richman JM. Expression of WNT signalling pathway genes during chicken craniofacial development. Dev Dyn 2009; 238:1150-65. [PMID: 19334275 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.21934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive expression analysis of WNT signalling pathway genes during several stages of chicken facial development was performed. Thirty genes were surveyed including: WNT1, 2B, 3A, 4, 5A, 5B, 6, 7A, 7B, 8B, 8C, 9A, 9B, 11, 11B, 16, CTNNB1, LEF1, FRZB1, DKK1, DKK2, FZD1-8, FZD10. The strictly canonical WNTs (2B, 7A, 9B, and 16) in addition to WNT4 WNT6 (both canonical and non-canonical) are epithelially expressed, whereas WNT5A, 5B, 11 are limited to the mesenchyme. WNT16 is limited to the invaginating nasal pit, respiratory epithelium, and lip fusion zone. Antagonists DKK1 and FRZB1 are expressed in the fusing primary palate but then are decreased at stage 28 when fusion is beginning. This suggests that canonical WNT signalling may be active during lip fusion. Mediators of canonical signalling, CTNNB1, LEF1, and the majority of the FZD genes are expressed ubiquitously. These data show that activation of the canonical WNT pathway is feasible in all regions of the face; however, the localization of ligands and antagonists confers specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poongodi Geetha-Loganathan
- Department of Oral Health Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
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Mizukami M, Souchelnytskyi N, Kiuchi Y, Kanamoto T. Wnt14 inhibits death of retinal precursor cells. Exp Eye Res 2009; 89:462-8. [PMID: 19422823 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2009.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2008] [Revised: 03/18/2009] [Accepted: 04/23/2009] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
An earlier proteomics study from our laboratory showed that Wnt14, a member of the Wnt family that regulates the development of vertebrates, was one of the proteins expressed transiently during the development of the chick retina. The purpose of this study was to determine in more detail the changes in the expression of Wnt14 during the development of the chick retina, and to investigate the biological function of Wnt14. Endogenous Wnt14 is located in the retinal ganglion cell layer, and is expressed in the chick retina on embryonic days (ED) 7, ED11, and ED15. The level of Wnt14 is transiently decreased on ED11. In vitro analysis showed that an over-expression of Wnt14 reduced the activation of caspase-3 and inhibited the death of R28 cells induced by serum deprivation or exposure to glutamate. An interferon-induced protein was identified as the protein that was bound to Wnt14. These results suggest that a stable expression of Wnt14 inhibits cell death by inactivating caspase-3 in the developing retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Mizukami
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3, Kasumi, Minami-ku, Postal-code: 734-8551, Hiroshima, Japan
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16
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Crotwell PL, Mabee PM. Gene expression patterns underlying proximal-distal skeletal segmentation in late-stage zebrafish, Danio rerio. Dev Dyn 2008; 236:3111-28. [PMID: 17948314 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.21352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Timing and pattern of expression of ten candidate segmentation genes or gene pairs were reviewed or examined in developing median fins of late-stage zebrafish, Danio rerio. We found a general correspondence in timing and pattern of expression between zebrafish fin radial segmentation and tetrapod joint development, suggesting that molecular mechanisms underlying radial segmentation have been conserved over 400 million years of evolution. Gene co-expression during segmentation (5.5-6.5 mm SL) is similar between tetrapods and zebrafish: bmp2b, bmp4, chordin, and gdf5 in interradial mesenchyme and ZS; bapx1, col2a1, noggin3, and sox9a in chondrocytes. Surprisingly, wnt9a is not expressed in the developing median fins, though wnt9b is detected. In contrast to all other candidate segmentation genes we examined, bapx1 is not expressed in the caudal fin, which does not segment. Together, these data suggest a scenario of gene interactions underlying radial segmentation based on the patterns and timing of candidate gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia L Crotwell
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, USA
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17
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Mizukami M, Kanamoto T, Souchelnytskyi N, Kiuchi Y. Proteome profiling of embryo chick retina. Proteome Sci 2008; 6:3. [PMID: 18208622 PMCID: PMC2267454 DOI: 10.1186/1477-5956-6-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2007] [Accepted: 01/22/2008] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Little is known regarding the molecular pathways that underlie the process of retinal development. The purpose of this study was to identify proteins which may be involved in development of retina. We used a proteomics-based approach to identify proteins that are up- or down-regulated during the development of the embryo chick retina. Results Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was performed with the retina of embryo chicken, which was obtained from embryos of day 7 (ED7) and of day 11 (ED11). The protein spots showing significant differences were selected for identification by MALDI mass spectrometry. Thirteen proteins were differentially expressed; seven proteins were up-regulated in embryo retina of chicken at ED 11 and six proteins were down-regulated. Significant proteins were also evaluated in embryo day 15 (ED15). Some of identified proteins were known to regulate cell proliferation, cell death, transport, metabolism, organization and extracellular matrix, and others also included novel proteins. Conclusion We identified thirteen proteins which differentially expressed in embryonal retina of chicken at day 7, as compared to the retina of embryo of day 11. They were various regulatory proteins for cellular signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Mizukami
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Hiroshima University, Japan.
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18
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Carroll TJ, Park JS, Hayashi S, Majumdar A, McMahon AP. Wnt9b Plays a Central Role in the Regulation of Mesenchymal to Epithelial Transitions Underlying Organogenesis of the Mammalian Urogenital System. Dev Cell 2005; 9:283-92. [PMID: 16054034 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2005.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 621] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2004] [Revised: 04/08/2005] [Accepted: 05/19/2005] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The vertebrate urogenital system forms due to inductive interactions between the Wolffian duct, its derivative the ureteric bud, and their adjacent mesenchymes. These establish epithelial primordia within the mesonephric (embryonic) and metanephric (adult) kidneys and the Müllerian duct, the anlage of much of the female reproductive tract. We show that Wnt9b is expressed in the inductive epithelia and is essential for the development of mesonephric and metanephric tubules and caudal extension of the Müllerian duct. Wnt9b is required for the earliest inductive response in metanephric mesenchyme. Further, Wnt9b-expressing cells can functionally substitute for the ureteric bud in these interactions. Wnt9b acts upstream of another Wnt, Wnt4, in this process, and our data implicate canonical Wnt signaling as one of the major pathways in the organization of the mammalian urogenital system. Together these findings suggest that Wnt9b is a common organizing signal regulating diverse components of the mammalian urogenital system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Carroll
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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19
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Kalejs M, Erenpreisa J. Cancer/testis antigens and gametogenesis: a review and "brain-storming" session. Cancer Cell Int 2005; 5:4. [PMID: 15715909 PMCID: PMC552320 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2867-5-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2004] [Accepted: 02/16/2005] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes expressed both in normal testis and in malignancies (Cancer/ Testis associated genes - CTA) have become the most extensively studied antigen group in the field of tumour immunology. Despite this, many fundamentally important questions remain unanswered: what is the connection between germ-cell specific genes and tumours? Is the expression of these genes yet another proof for the importance of genome destabilisation in the process of tumorigenesis?, or maybe activation of these genes is not quite random but instead related to some programme giving tumours a survival advantage?This review collates most of the recent information available about CTAs expression, function, and regulation. The data suggests a programme related to ontogenesis, mostly to gametogenesis. In the "brain-storming" part, facts in conflict with the hypothesis of random CTA gene activation are discussed. We propose a programme borrowed from organisms phylogenetically much older than humans, which existed before the differentiation of sexes. It is a programme that has served as a life cycle with prominent ploidy changes, and from which, as we know, the germ-cell ploidy cycle - meiosis - has evolved. Further work may show whether this hypothesis can lead to a novel anti-tumour strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martins Kalejs
- Biomedical Research and Study Centre of the Latvian University, Riga, Latvia
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20
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Chapman SC, Brown R, Lees L, Schoenwolf GC, Lumsden A. Expression analysis of chick Wnt and frizzled genes and selected inhibitors in early chick patterning. Dev Dyn 2004; 229:668-76. [PMID: 14991722 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.10491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt signaling is an important component in patterning the early embryo and specifically the neural plate. Studies in Xenopus, mouse, and zebrafish have shown that signaling by members of the Wnt family of secreted signaling factors, their Frizzled receptors and several inhibitors (sFRP1, sFRP2, sFRP3/Frzb1, Crescent/Frzb2, Dkk1, and Cerberus) are involved. However, very little is known about the expression of genes in the Wnt signaling pathway during early anterior neural patterning in chick. We have performed an expression analysis at neural plate stages of several Wnts, Frizzled genes, and Wnt signaling pathway inhibitors using in situ hybridization. The gene expression patterns of these markers are extremely dynamic. We have identified two candidate molecules for anterior patterning of the neural plate, Wnt1 and Wnt8b, which are expressed in the rostral ectoderm at these stages. Further functional studies on the roles of these markers are underway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan C Chapman
- MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Kings College London, New Hunts House, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
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21
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Abstract
Pattern formation in the mouse preimplantation embryo is tightly regulated and essential for successful development. Wnt genes are known to regulate cell interactions and cell fate in invertebrates and vertebrates and, therefore, may play a role in the specification of cell lineages and cellular interactions that occur in preimplantation development. Using degenerate primers based on conserved protein sequences in Wnt coding regions, we have found evidence for Wnt gene expression at the blastocyst stage of mouse preimplantation development. We have identified sequences encoding Wnts3a and 4 and confirmed that these are present as transcripts in early development by using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with specific primers located in the 5' half of these Wnt genes. Studies on the timing of expression showed that Wnt3a transcripts were present in 2-cell embryos which may represent maternally or embryonically derived transcripts since the major transition of maternal to zygotic gene expression occurs during the late 2-cell stage. Both Wnt3a and 4 transcripts were detected in some precompact 4/8-cell stages with consistent expression detected in all compact 8-, 16-cell and blastocyst stages. To our knowledge, expression of Wnt genes has not been previously described at such an early stage of mammalian development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Lloyd
- School of Medicine, Mailpoint 813, Southampton General Hospital, SO16 6YD Southampton, UK
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22
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Qian J, Jiang Z, Li M, Heaphy P, Liu YH, Shackleford GM. Mouse Wnt9b transforming activity, tissue-specific expression, and evolution. Genomics 2003; 81:34-46. [PMID: 12573259 DOI: 10.1016/s0888-7543(02)00012-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The members of the Wnt family of secreted factors have oncogenic potential and important roles as developmental regulators. We report an analysis of mouse Wnt9b (also called Wnt15 and Wnt14b), including its cDNA sequence, chromosomal mapping, epithelial cell transforming activity, adult and embryonic tissue expression patterns, and evolution. We also deduced the full-length amino acid sequence of its close relative, Wnt9a (also called Wnt14), from unannotated genomic DNA sequences in GenBank. Full-length comparisons among Wnt amino acid sequences provide evidence that Wnt9b and Wnt9a are close paralogs of each other and are orthologs of Wnt9 genes from shark and hagfish. Mapping Wnt9b to The Jackson Laboratory BSS interspecific backcross panel places it at 63.0 cM on chromosome 11. Sequence comparisons of two pairs of linked Wnt genes (the Wnt9a-Wnt3a pair and the Wnt9b-Wnt3 pair) suggest that they arose from the relatively recent duplication of a single ancestral Wnt gene pair, confirming the close paralogous relationship of Wnt9a and Wnt9b. Wnt9b expression is primarily restricted to the kidney in the adult mouse, with lower levels detected in the preputial gland, liver, and mammary gland. Testing of staged whole mouse embryos from 9.5 to 17.5 days of gestation showed expression at all stages with a peak at day 10.5. In situ hybridization analysis showed expression in most but not all tissues of the 16.5-day embryo. No significant elevation of Wnt9b expression was detected in 29 mouse mammary tumor virus-induced tumors. Overexpression of Wnt9b in C57MG mammary epithelial cells caused small transformed foci in cell monolayers and a moderate morphological transformation in pooled colonies compared with Wnt1.
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Affiliation(s)
- JunQing Qian
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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23
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Enomoto-Iwamoto M, Kitagaki J, Koyama E, Tamamura Y, Wu C, Kanatani N, Koike T, Okada H, Komori T, Yoneda T, Church V, Francis-West PH, Kurisu K, Nohno T, Pacifici M, Iwamoto M. The Wnt antagonist Frzb-1 regulates chondrocyte maturation and long bone development during limb skeletogenesis. Dev Biol 2002; 251:142-56. [PMID: 12413904 DOI: 10.1006/dbio.2002.0802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The Wnt antagonist Frzb-1 is expressed during limb skeletogenesis, but its roles in this complex multistep process are not fully understood. To address this issue, we determined Frzb-1 gene expression patterns during chick long bone development and carried out gain- and loss-of-function studies by misexpression of Frzb-1, Wnt-8 (a known Frzb-1 target), or different forms of the intracellular Wnt mediator LEF-1 in developing limbs and cultured chondrocytes. Frzb-1 expression was quite strong in mesenchymal prechondrogenic condensations and then characterized epiphyseal articular chondrocytes and prehypertrophic chondrocytes in growth plates. Virally driven Frzb-1 misexpression caused shortening of skeletal elements, joint fusion, and delayed chondrocyte maturation, with consequent inhibition of matrix mineralization, metalloprotease expression, and marrow/bone formation. In good agreement, misexpression of Frzb-1 or a dominant-negative form of LEF-1 in cultured chondrocytes maintained the cells at an immature stage. Instead, misexpression of Wnt-8 or a constitutively active LEF-1 strongly promoted chondrocyte maturation, hypertrophy, and calcification. Immunostaining revealed that the distribution of endogenous Wnt mediator beta-catenin changes dramatically in vivo and in vitro, from largely cytoplasmic in immature proliferating and prehypertrophic chondrocytes to nuclear in hypertrophic mineralizing chondrocytes. Misexpression of Frzb-1 prevented beta-catenin nuclear relocalization in chondrocytes in vivo or in vitro. The data demonstrate that Frzb-1 exerts a strong influence on limb skeletogenesis and is a powerful and direct modulator of chondrocyte maturation, phenotype, and function. Phases of skeletogenesis, such as terminal chondrocyte maturation and joint formation, appear to be particularly dependent on Wnt signaling and thus very sensitive to Frzb-1 antagonistic action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motomi Enomoto-Iwamoto
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Tumor Biology, Osaka University Faculty of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
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24
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Daudet N, Ripoll C, Molès JP, Rebillard G. Expression of members of Wnt and Frizzled gene families in the postnatal rat cochlea. BRAIN RESEARCH. MOLECULAR BRAIN RESEARCH 2002; 105:98-107. [PMID: 12399112 DOI: 10.1016/s0169-328x(02)00397-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The functioning of the mammalian cochlea is entirely based on its mechanical properties, which are supported by a highly complex tissue architecture resulting from the precise arrangement of sensory hair cells and non-sensory supporting cells. Growing evidence indicates that evolutionary conserved signaling pathways are involved in inner ear development and in the differentiation of its diverse cell types. We investigated whether members of the Wnt and Frizzled gene families, which play key roles in a wide variety of cellular and developmental processes, are expressed in the postnatal rat cochlea. A PCR screening of a rat cochlea cDNA library performed with degenerate primers allowed us to isolate five members of the Wnt gene family (RWnt-2B, -4, -5A, -5B, and -7A) and six members of the Frizzled gene family (Rfz1, Rfz2, Rfz3, Rfz4, Rfz6, Rfz9). In situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry experiments demonstrated that RWnt-4, -5B, -7A have distinct, although partly overlapping, expression patterns in the juvenile rat cochlea. These results suggest that the Wnt-Frizzled signaling pathway could be involved in several aspects of late cochlear differentiation and/or auditory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Daudet
- INSERM U254, Université Montpellier I, Montpellier, France.
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25
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Sim EUH, Smith A, Szilagi E, Rae F, Ioannou P, Lindsay MH, Little MH. Wnt-4 regulation by the Wilms' tumour suppressor gene, WT1. Oncogene 2002; 21:2948-60. [PMID: 12082525 DOI: 10.1038/sj.onc.1205373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2001] [Revised: 01/31/2002] [Accepted: 01/31/2002] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The Wilms' tumour suppressor gene, WT1, encodes multiple nuclear protein isoforms, all containing four C-terminal zinc finger motifs. WT1 proteins can both activate and repress putative target genes in vitro, although the in vivo relevance of these putative target genes is often unverified. WT1 mutations can result in Wilms' tumour and the Denys-Drash Syndrome (DDS) of infantile nephropathy, XY pseudohermaphroditism and predisposition to Wilms' tumour. We have established stable transfectants of the mouse mesonephric cell line, M15, which express WT1 harbouring a common DDS point mutation (R394W). A comparison of the expression profiles of M15 and transfectant C2A was performed using Nylon-based arrays. Very few genes showed differential expression. However Wnt-4, a member of the Wnt gene family of secreted glycoproteins, was downregulated in C2A and other similar clones. Doxycycline induction of WT1-A or WT1-D expression in HEK293 stable transfectants also elicited an elevation in Wnt4 expression. Wnt4 is critical for the mesenchyme-to-epithelial transition during kidney development, making it an attractive putative WT1 target. We have mapped human Wnt-4 gene to chromosome 1p35-36, a region of frequent LOH in WT, have characterized the genomic structure of the human Wnt-4 gene and isolated 9 kb of immediate promoter. While several potential WT1 binding sites exist within this promoter, reporter analysis does not strongly support the direct regulation of Wnt4 by WT1. We propose that Wnt-4 regulation by WT1 occurs at a more distant promoter or enhancer site, or is indirect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmund U-H Sim
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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26
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Cohen ED, Mariol MC, Wallace RMH, Weyers J, Kamberov YG, Pradel J, Wilder EL. DWnt4 regulates cell movement and focal adhesion kinase during Drosophila ovarian morphogenesis. Dev Cell 2002; 2:437-48. [PMID: 11970894 DOI: 10.1016/s1534-5807(02)00142-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Cell motility is regulated by extracellular cues and by intracellular factors that accumulate at sites of contact between cells and the extracellular matrix. One of these factors, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), regulates the cycle of focal adhesion formation and disassembly that is required for cell movement to occur. Recently, Wnt signaling has also been implicated in the control of cell movement in vertebrates, but the mechanism through which Wnt proteins influence motility is unclear. We demonstrate that Drosphila Wnt4 is required for cell movement and FAK regulation during ovarian morphogenesis. Dfrizzled2, Disheveled, and protein kinase C are also required. The DWnt4 cell motility pathway is distinct from both the canonical Wnt pathway and the planar polarity pathway. Our data suggest that DWnt4 facilitates motility through regulation of focal adhesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- E David Cohen
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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27
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Lizarraga G, Lichtler A, Upholt WB, Kosher RA. Studies on the role of Cux1 in regulation of the onset of joint formation in the developing limb. Dev Biol 2002; 243:44-54. [PMID: 11846476 DOI: 10.1006/dbio.2001.0559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Joint formation, the onset of which is characterized by the segmentation of continuous skeletal rudiments into two or more separate elements, is a fundamental aspect of limb pattern formation, playing a critical role in determining the size, shape, and number of individual skeletal elements. Joint formation is initiated by conversion of differentiated chondrocytes at sites of presumptive joints into densely packed nonchondrogenic cells of the joint interzone. This conversion is accompanied by loss of Alcian blue-staining cartilage matrix and downregulation of cartilage-specific gene expression. Here, we report that Cux1, which encodes a transcription factor containing a homeodomain and other DNA-binding motifs, is highly expressed at all of the discrete sites of incipient joint formation in the developing limb concomitant with conversion of differentiated chondrocytes into interzone tissue. Moreover, differentiated limb chondrocytes in micromass cultures infected with a Cux1 retroviral expression vector are converted into nonchondrogenic cells which exhibit loss of Alcian blue cartilage matrix and downregulation of cartilage-specific gene expression as occurs at the onset of normal joint formation. These results suggest that Cux1 is involved in regulating the onset of joint formation by facilitating conversion of chondrocytes into nonchondrogenic cells of the interzone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail Lizarraga
- Department of BioStructure and Function, School of Dental Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030, USA
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28
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Sierra DA, Gilbert DJ, Householder D, Grishin NV, Yu K, Ukidwe P, Barker SA, He W, Wensel TG, Otero G, Brown G, Copeland NG, Jenkins NA, Wilkie TM. Evolution of the regulators of G-protein signaling multigene family in mouse and human. Genomics 2002; 79:177-85. [PMID: 11829488 DOI: 10.1006/geno.2002.6693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins are important regulatory and structural components of G-protein coupled receptor complexes. RGS proteins are GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) of Gi-and Gq-class Galpha proteins, and thereby accelerate signaling kinetics and termination. Here, we mapped the chromosomal positions of all 21 Rgs genes in mouse, and determined human RGS gene structures using genomic sequence from partially assembled bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) and Celera fragments. In mice and humans, 18 of 21 RGS genes are either tandemly duplicated or tightly linked to genes encoding other components of G-protein signaling pathways, including Galpha, Ggamma, receptors (GPCR), and receptor kinases (GPRK). A phylogenetic tree revealed seven RGS gene subfamilies in the yeast and metazoan genomes that have been sequenced. We propose that similar systematic analyses of all multigene families from human and other mammalian genomes will help complete the assembly and annotation of the human genome sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Sierra
- Pharmacology Department, UT Southwestern, Dallas, Texas 75390-9041, USA
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29
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Abstract
SUMMARY The Wnt genes encode a large family of secreted protein growth factors that have been identified in animals from hydra to humans. In humans, 19 WNT proteins have been identified that share 27% to 83% amino-acid sequence identity and a conserved pattern of 23 or 24 cysteine residues. Wnt genes are highly conserved between vertebrate species sharing overall sequence identity and gene structure, and are slightly less conserved between vertebrates and invertebrates. During development, Wnts have diverse roles in governing cell fate, proliferation, migration, polarity, and death. In adults, Wnts function in homeostasis, and inappropriate activation of the Wnt pathway is implicated in a variety of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey R Miller
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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Reddy S, Andl T, Bagasra A, Lu MM, Epstein DJ, Morrisey EE, Millar SE. Characterization of Wnt gene expression in developing and postnatal hair follicles and identification of Wnt5a as a target of Sonic hedgehog in hair follicle morphogenesis. Mech Dev 2001; 107:69-82. [PMID: 11520664 DOI: 10.1016/s0925-4773(01)00452-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 372] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in WNT effector genes perturb hair follicle morphogenesis, suggesting key roles for WNT proteins in this process. We show that expression of Wnts 10b and 10a is upregulated in placodes at the onset of follicle morphogenesis and in postnatal hair follicles beginning a new cycle of hair growth. The expression of additional Wnt genes is observed in follicles at later stages of differentiation. Among these, we find that Wnt5a is expressed in the developing dermal condensate of wild type but not Sonic hedgehog (Shh)-null embryos, indicating that Wnt5a is a target of SHH in hair follicle morphogenesis. These results identify candidates for several key follicular signals and suggest that WNT and SHH signaling pathways interact to regulate hair follicle morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Reddy
- Departments of Dermatology and Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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31
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Saitoh T, Hirai M, Katoh M. Molecular cloning and characterization of WNT3A and WNT14 clustered in human chromosome 1q42 region. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2001; 284:1168-75. [PMID: 11414706 DOI: 10.1006/bbrc.2001.5105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Human WNT3A and WNT14 cDNAs were cloned and characterized. WNT3A and WNT14 encoded WNT family protein of 352 and 365 amino acids, respectively. The 3.0-kb WNT3A mRNA was moderately expressed in placenta, and the 4.4-kb WNT14 mRNA was moderately expressed in skeletal muscle and heart. Although WNT3A mRNA was not detected in 35 human cancer cell lines, WNT14 mRNA was expressed in gastric cancer cell lines TMK1, MKN7, MKN45 and KATO-III. WNT3A and WNT14 genes, clustered in the head to head manner with an interval of about 58.0 kb, were mapped to human chromosome 1q42 region by fluorescence in situ hybridization. WNT3 and WNT15, clustered in human chromosome 17q21 region, are related genes of WNT3A and WNT14, respectively. WNT3A-WNT14 gene cluster and WNT3-WNT15 gene cluster might be generated due to duplication of ancestral gene cluster, just like WNT10A-WNT6 gene cluster and WNT10B-WNT1 gene cluster. Integration sites of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) are located in the mouse chromosomal regions corresponding to these human WNT gene clusters. These results strongly suggest that unidentified nucleotide motif responsible for susceptibility to recombination might exist within the intergenic regions of these WNT gene clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Saitoh
- Genetics and Cell Biology Section, Genetics Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tsukiji 5-chome, Tokyo, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Japan
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32
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Dimitriadis A, Vincan E, Mohammed IM, Roczo N, Phillips WA, Baindur-Hudson S. Expression of Wnt genes in human colon cancers. Cancer Lett 2001; 166:185-91. [PMID: 11311491 DOI: 10.1016/s0304-3835(01)00428-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
A polymerase chain reaction-based approach was used to study the expression of Wnt genes in human colon carcinoma tissue and normal colon mucosa. In a number of cases Wnts 2, 4, 5a, 6 and/or 7a were found to be more highly expressed in colon carcinoma tissue compared to surrounding normal-appearing mucosa from the same patients. Wnts 4, 5a, 6 and 7a, but not 2, were also found to be expressed in colon cancer cell lines. The increased levels of expression of these Wnt genes in tumor tissue may indicate their possible involvement in human colon tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Dimitriadis
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Victoria University, Werribee Campus, P.O. Box 14428, City MC, VIC 8001, Melbourne, Australia
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Hartmann C, Tabin CJ. Wnt-14 plays a pivotal role in inducing synovial joint formation in the developing appendicular skeleton. Cell 2001; 104:341-51. [PMID: 11239392 DOI: 10.1016/s0092-8674(01)00222-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 357] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The long bones of the vertebrate appendicular skeleton arise from initially continuous condensations of mesenchymal cells that subsequently segment and cavitate to form discrete elements separated by synovial joints. Little is known, however, about the molecular mechanisms of joint formation. We present evidence that Wnt-14 plays a central role in initiating synovial joint formation in the chick limb. Wnt-14 is expressed in joint-forming regions prior to the segmentation of the cartilage elements, and local misexpression of Wnt-14 induces morphological and molecular changes characteristic of the first steps of joint formation. Induction of an ectopic joint-like region by Wnt-14 suppresses the formation of the immediately adjacent endogenous joint, potentially providing insight into the spacing of joints.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Hartmann
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 02115, Boston, MA, USA
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Koike J, Takagi A, Miwa T, Hirai M, Terada M, Katoh M. Molecular cloning of Frizzled-10, a novel member of the Frizzled gene family. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1999; 262:39-43. [PMID: 10448064 DOI: 10.1006/bbrc.1999.1161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The Frizzled genes encode WNT receptors. Frizzled-10 (FZD10), a novel member of the Frizzled gene family, has been cloned and characterized. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that human FZD10 gene encodes a seven-transmembrane-receptor of 581 amino acids, with the N-terminal cysteine-rich domain and the C-terminal Ser/Thr-Xxx-Val motif. Larger amounts of FZD10 mRNA, 4.0 kb in size, were detected in the placenta and fetal kidney, followed by fetal lung and brain. In adult brain, FZD10 mRNA was abundant in the cerebellum. Among cancer cell lines, FZD10 was highly expressed in a cervical cancer cell line, HeLa S3, and moderately in a colon cancer cell line, SW480. The FZD10 gene was mapped to human chromosome 12q24.33. FZD10 shares 65.7% amino-acid identity with Frizzled-9 (FZD9). FZD10 and FZD9 constitute a subfamily among the Frizzled genes.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Cerebellum/metabolism
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 12/genetics
- Cloning, Molecular
- Cysteine/genetics
- DNA, Complementary/genetics
- Female
- Frizzled Receptors
- Gene Expression
- Genomic Library
- Humans
- Kidney/embryology
- Kidney/metabolism
- Lung/embryology
- Lung/metabolism
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Multigene Family
- Neoplasms/genetics
- Phylogeny
- Placenta/metabolism
- RNA, Messenger/analysis
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- Receptors, Cell Surface/chemistry
- Receptors, Cell Surface/genetics
- Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
- Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
- Tumor Cells, Cultured
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Affiliation(s)
- J Koike
- Genetics Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tsukiji 5-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan
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36
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Gellner K, Brenner S. Analysis of 148 kb of Genomic DNA Around the wnt1 Locus of Fugu rubripes. Genome Res 1999. [DOI: 10.1101/gr.9.3.251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The analysis of the sequence of ∼150 kb of a genomic region corresponding to the wnt1 gene of the Japanese pufferfishFugu rubripes confirms the compact structure of the genome. Fifteen genes were found in this region, and 26.6% of the analyzed sequence is coding sequence. With an average intergenic distance of <5 kb, this gene density is comparable to that ofCaenorhabditis elegans. The compactness of this region corresponds to the reduction of the overall size of the genome, consistent with the conclusion that the gene number in Fuguand human genomes is approximately the same. Eight of the genes have been mapped in the human genome and all of them are found in the chromosomal band 12q13, indicating a high degree of synteny in both species, Fugu and human. Comparative sequence analysis allows us to identify potential regulatory elements for wnt1 andARF3, which are common to fish and mammals.[The sequence data described in this paper have been submitted to GenBank under accession no. AF056116.]
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Giarré M, Semënov MV, Brown AM. Wnt signaling stabilizes the dual-function protein beta-catenin in diverse cell types. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1998; 857:43-55. [PMID: 9917831 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1998.tb10106.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The Wnt proteins constitute a large family of secreted signaling factors that performed a wide variety of inductive and regulatory functions in embryonic and postnatal development. In mammals, these include crucial roles in morphogenesis of the central nervous system, kidneys, limbs, and mammary glands. In recent years, much progress has been made in identifying components of the intracellular Wnt-1 signal transduction pathway through studies in Drosophila, C. elegans, Xenopus, and mammalian systems. Several features of this pathway are remarkably well conserved in evolution. A key component of the Wnt pathway is the cytoplasmic protein beta-catenin, whose stability is increased as a result of Wnt signaling. Although morphological effects of Wnt-1 in cell culture are seen in only a limited number of cell lines, we show here that responsiveness to Wnt-1 at the biochemical level is a common property of both epithelial and mesenchymal cells. The increased abundance of beta-catenin may have at least two functional consequences, depending on the subcellular localization of the protein. In some cell lines that respond to Wnt-1, there is a significant increase in the beta-catenin fraction associated with the plasma membrane, where the protein acts as a component of cell-cell adhesive junctions. In other cell types, the major effect of Wnt signaling is an increase in the cytosolic pool of beta-catenin. Increased abundance of this pool has recently been correlated with entry of beta-catenin into the nucleus, where the protein forms complexes with Tcf transcription factors and is thought to modulate the expression of specific genes. The dual consequences of Wnt signaling on cell adhesion and/or gene expression provide at least two potential mechanisms by which this key pathway can function in the regulation of morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Giarré
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York 10021, USA
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Lako M, Strachan T, Bullen P, Wilson DI, Robson SC, Lindsay S. Isolation, characterisation and embryonic expression of WNT11, a gene which maps to 11q13.5 and has possible roles in the development of skeleton, kidney and lung. Gene 1998; 219:101-10. [PMID: 9757009 DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1119(98)00393-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The Wnt gene family encodes a set of signalling molecules, thought to play an important role in key processes of embryonic development. In vertebrates as a whole 20 different Wnt genes have been identified to date, however, a complement of only 16 have been identified in man and for some of these the complete coding sequences are unavailable. We have recently isolated the full-length cDNA sequence of a new human WNT gene, WNT11, investigated its genomic organisation and performed detailed expression studies in early human embryos. These have shown that the expression of human WNT11 is restricted to the perichondrium of the developing skeleton, lung mesenchyme, the tips of the ureteric buds and other areas of the urogenital system and the cortex of the adrenal gland. This, for the first time, provides information for the embryonic expression of human WNT11. We have mapped WNT11 to 11q13.5 and this together with its expression in the perichondrium of the developing skeleton, makes it a plausible candidate gene for HBM, which has been previously linked to markers from this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Lako
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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