1
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Wolf L, Boutros M. The role of Evi/Wntless in exporting Wnt proteins. Development 2023; 150:286996. [PMID: 36763105 PMCID: PMC10112924 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Intercellular communication by Wnt proteins governs many essential processes during development, tissue homeostasis and disease in all metazoans. Many context-dependent effects are initiated in the Wnt-producing cells and depend on the export of lipidated Wnt proteins. Although much focus has been on understanding intracellular Wnt signal transduction, the cellular machinery responsible for Wnt secretion became better understood only recently. After lipid modification by the acyl-transferase Porcupine, Wnt proteins bind their dedicated cargo protein Evi/Wntless for transport and secretion. Evi/Wntless and Porcupine are conserved transmembrane proteins, and their 3D structures were recently determined. In this Review, we summarise studies and structural data highlighting how Wnts are transported from the ER to the plasma membrane, and the role of SNX3-retromer during the recycling of its cargo receptor Evi/Wntless. We also describe the regulation of Wnt export through a post-translational mechanism and review the importance of Wnt secretion for organ development and cancer, and as a future biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Wolf
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division of Signalling and Functional Genomics and Heidelberg University, BioQuant and Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Boutros
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division of Signalling and Functional Genomics and Heidelberg University, BioQuant and Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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2
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Alvarez-Rodrigo I, Willnow D, Vincent JP. The logistics of Wnt production and delivery. Curr Top Dev Biol 2023; 153:1-60. [PMID: 36967191 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Wnts are secreted proteins that control stem cell maintenance, cell fate decisions, and growth during development and adult homeostasis. Wnts carry a post-translational modification not seen in any other secreted protein: during biosynthesis, they are appended with a palmitoleoyl moiety that is required for signaling but also impairs solubility and hence diffusion in the extracellular space. In some contexts, Wnts act only in a juxtacrine manner but there are also instances of long range action. Several proteins and processes ensure that active Wnts reach the appropriate target cells. Some, like Porcupine, Wntless, and Notum are dedicated to Wnt function; we describe their activities in molecular detail. We also outline how the cell infrastructure (secretory, endocytic, and retromer pathways) contribute to the progression of Wnts from production to delivery. We then address how Wnts spread in the extracellular space and form a signaling gradient despite carrying a hydrophobic moiety. We highlight particularly the role of lipid-binding Wnt interactors and heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Finally, we briefly discuss how evolution might have led to the emergence of this unusual signaling pathway.
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3
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Du L, Sohr A, Li Y, Roy S. GPI-anchored FGF directs cytoneme-mediated bidirectional contacts to regulate its tissue-specific dispersion. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3482. [PMID: 35710780 PMCID: PMC9203819 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30417-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
How signaling proteins generate a multitude of information to organize tissue patterns is critical to understanding morphogenesis. In Drosophila, FGF produced in wing-disc cells regulates the development of the disc-associated air-sac-primordium (ASP). Here, we show that FGF is Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored to the producing cell surface and that this modification both inhibits free FGF secretion and promotes target-specific cytoneme contacts and contact-dependent FGF release. FGF-source and ASP cells extend cytonemes that present FGF and FGFR on their surfaces and reciprocally recognize each other over distance by contacting through cell-adhesion-molecule (CAM)-like FGF-FGFR binding. Contact-mediated FGF-FGFR interactions induce bidirectional responses in ASP and source cells that, in turn, polarize FGF-sending and FGF-receiving cytonemes toward each other to reinforce signaling contacts. Subsequent un-anchoring of FGFR-bound-FGF from the source membrane dissociates cytoneme contacts and delivers FGF target-specifically to ASP cytonemes for paracrine functions. Thus, GPI-anchored FGF organizes both source and recipient cells and self-regulates its cytoneme-mediated tissue-specific dispersion. Cytonemes are signaling filopodia that mediate target-specific long-distance communications of signals like FGFs. Du et al. show that a Drosophila FGF is anchored to the FGF-producing cell surface, inhibiting free FGF secretion and activating contact-dependent bidirectional FGF-FGFR interactions, controlling target-specific cytoneme contacts and contact-dependent FGF release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Du
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Alex Sohr
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.,Division of Cell and Gene Therapy, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Yujia Li
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Sougata Roy
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
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4
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Martínez-Gil N, Ugartondo N, Grinberg D, Balcells S. Wnt Pathway Extracellular Components and Their Essential Roles in Bone Homeostasis. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13010138. [PMID: 35052478 PMCID: PMC8775112 DOI: 10.3390/genes13010138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wnt pathway is involved in several processes essential for bone development and homeostasis. For proper functioning, the Wnt pathway is tightly regulated by numerous extracellular elements that act by both activating and inhibiting the pathway at different moments. This review aims to describe, summarize and update the findings regarding the extracellular modulators of the Wnt pathway, including co-receptors, ligands and inhibitors, in relation to bone homeostasis, with an emphasis on the animal models generated, the diseases associated with each gene and the bone processes in which each member is involved. The precise knowledge of all these elements will help us to identify possible targets that can be used as a therapeutic target for the treatment of bone diseases such as osteoporosis.
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5
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Shi F, Mendrola JM, Sheetz JB, Wu N, Sommer A, Speer KF, Noordermeer JN, Kan ZY, Perry K, Englander SW, Stayrook SE, Fradkin LG, Lemmon MA. ROR and RYK extracellular region structures suggest that receptor tyrosine kinases have distinct WNT-recognition modes. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109834. [PMID: 34686333 PMCID: PMC8650758 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
WNTs play key roles in development and disease, signaling through Frizzled (FZD) seven-pass transmembrane receptors and numerous co-receptors including ROR and RYK family receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). We describe crystal structures and WNT-binding characteristics of extracellular regions from the Drosophila ROR and RYK orthologs Nrk (neurospecific receptor tyrosine kinase) and Derailed-2 (Drl-2), which bind WNTs though a FZD-related cysteine-rich domain (CRD) and WNT-inhibitory factor (WIF) domain respectively. Our crystal structures suggest that neither Nrk nor Drl-2 can accommodate the acyl chain typically attached to WNTs. The Nrk CRD contains a deeply buried bound fatty acid, unlikely to be exchangeable. The Drl-2 WIF domain lacks the lipid-binding site seen in WIF-1. We also find that recombinant DWnt-5 can bind Drosophila ROR and RYK orthologs despite lacking an acyl chain. Alongside analyses of WNT/receptor interaction sites, our structures provide further insight into how WNTs may recruit RTK co-receptors into signaling complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumin Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Graduate Group in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jeannine M Mendrola
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Joshua B Sheetz
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Neo Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Graduate Group in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Anselm Sommer
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Kelsey F Speer
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Medicine (Hematology-Oncology), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jasprina N Noordermeer
- Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZC, the Netherlands
| | - Zhong-Yuan Kan
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kay Perry
- NE-CAT, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - S Walter Englander
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Graduate Group in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Steven E Stayrook
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Lee G Fradkin
- Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZC, the Netherlands; Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Mark A Lemmon
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Graduate Group in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA; Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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6
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Pitzer LM, Moroney MR, Nokoff NJ, Sikora MJ. WNT4 Balances Development vs Disease in Gynecologic Tissues and Women's Health. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6272210. [PMID: 33963381 PMCID: PMC8197283 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The WNT family of proteins is crucial in numerous developmental pathways and tissue homeostasis. WNT4, in particular, is uniquely implicated in the development of the female phenotype in the fetus, and in the maintenance of müllerian and reproductive tissues. WNT4 dysfunction or dysregulation can drive sex-reversal syndromes, highlighting the key role of WNT4 in sex determination. WNT4 is also critical in gynecologic pathologies later in life, including several cancers, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and infertility. The role of WNT4 in normal decidualization, implantation, and gestation is being increasingly appreciated, while aberrant activation of WNT4 signaling is being linked both to gynecologic and breast cancers. Notably, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the WNT4 gene locus are strongly associated with these pathologies and may functionally link estrogen and estrogen receptor signaling to upregulation and activation of WNT4 signaling. Importantly, in each of these developmental and disease states, WNT4 gene expression and downstream WNT4 signaling are regulated and executed by myriad tissue-specific pathways. Here, we review the roles of WNT4 in women's health with a focus on sex development, and gynecologic and breast pathologies, and our understanding of how WNT4 signaling is controlled in these contexts. Defining WNT4 functions provides a unique opportunity to link sex-specific signaling pathways to women's health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Pitzer
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Marisa R Moroney
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Natalie J Nokoff
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Endocrinology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Matthew J Sikora
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
- Correspondence: Matthew J. Sikora, PhD; Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Mail Stop 8104, Research Complex 1 South, Rm 5117, 12801 E 17th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. . Twitter: @mjsikora
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7
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Dhasmana D, Veerapathiran S, Azbazdar Y, Nelanuthala AVS, Teh C, Ozhan G, Wohland T. Wnt3 Is Lipidated at Conserved Cysteine and Serine Residues in Zebrafish Neural Tissue. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:671218. [PMID: 34124053 PMCID: PMC8189181 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.671218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt proteins are a family of hydrophobic cysteine-rich secreted glycoproteins that regulate a gamut of physiological processes involved in embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Wnt ligands are post-translationally lipidated in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), a step essential for its membrane targeting, association with lipid domains, secretion and interaction with receptors. However, at which residue(s) Wnts are lipidated remains an open question. Initially it was proposed that Wnts are lipid-modified at their conserved cysteine and serine residues (C77 and S209 in mWnt3a), and mutations in either residue impedes its secretion and activity. Conversely, some studies suggested that serine is the only lipidated residue in Wnts, and substitution of serine with alanine leads to retention of Wnts in the ER. In this work, we investigate whether in zebrafish neural tissues Wnt3 is lipidated at one or both conserved residues. To this end, we substitute the homologous cysteine and serine residues of zebrafish Wnt3 with alanine (C80A and S212A) and investigate their influence on Wnt3 membrane organization, secretion, interaction and signaling activity. Collectively, our results indicate that Wnt3 is lipid modified at its C80 and S212 residues. Further, we find that lipid addition at either C80 or S212 is sufficient for its secretion and membrane organization, while the lipid modification at S212 is indispensable for receptor interaction and signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Dhasmana
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sapthaswaran Veerapathiran
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yagmur Azbazdar
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Izmir, Turkey
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | | | - Cathleen Teh
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gunes Ozhan
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Izmir, Turkey
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Thorsten Wohland
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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8
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Hanly JJ, Robertson ECN, Corning OBWH, Martin A. Porcupine/Wntless-dependent trafficking of the conserved WntA ligand in butterflies. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2021; 336:470-481. [PMID: 34010515 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Wnt ligands are key signaling molecules in animals, but little is known about the evolutionary dynamics and mode of action of the WntA orthologs, which are not present in the vertebrates or in Drosophila. Here we show that the WntA subfamily evolved at the base of the Bilateria + Cnidaria clade, and conserved the thumb region and Ser209 acylation site present in most other Wnts, suggesting WntA requires the core Wnt secretory pathway. WntA proteins are distinguishable from other Wnts by a synapomorphic Iso/Val/Ala216 amino-acid residue that replaces the otherwise ubiquitous Thr216 position. WntA embryonic expression is conserved between beetles and butterflies, suggesting functionality, but the WntA gene was lost three times within arthropods, in podoplean copepods, in the cyclorrhaphan fly radiation, and in ensiferan crickets and katydids. Finally, CRISPR mosaic knockouts (KOs) of porcupine and wntless phenocopied the pattern-specific effects of WntA KOs in the wings of Vanessa cardui butterflies. These results highlight the molecular conservation of the WntA protein across invertebrates, and imply it functions as a typical Wnt ligand that is acylated and secreted through the Porcupine/Wntless secretory pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Hanly
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Erica C N Robertson
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Olaf B W H Corning
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Arnaud Martin
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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9
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Azbazdar Y, Karabicici M, Erdal E, Ozhan G. Regulation of Wnt Signaling Pathways at the Plasma Membrane and Their Misregulation in Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:631623. [PMID: 33585487 PMCID: PMC7873896 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.631623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt signaling is one of the key signaling pathways that govern numerous physiological activities such as growth, differentiation and migration during development and homeostasis. As pathway misregulation has been extensively linked to pathological processes including malignant tumors, a thorough understanding of pathway regulation is essential for development of effective therapeutic approaches. A prominent feature of cancer cells is that they significantly differ from healthy cells with respect to their plasma membrane composition and lipid organization. Here, we review the key role of membrane composition and lipid order in activation of Wnt signaling pathway by tightly regulating formation and interactions of the Wnt-receptor complex. We also discuss in detail how plasma membrane components, in particular the ligands, (co)receptors and extracellular or membrane-bound modulators, of Wnt pathways are affected in lung, colorectal, liver and breast cancers that have been associated with abnormal activation of Wnt signaling. Wnt-receptor complex components and their modulators are frequently misexpressed in these cancers and this appears to correlate with metastasis and cancer progression. Thus, composition and organization of the plasma membrane can be exploited to develop new anticancer drugs that are targeted in a highly specific manner to the Wnt-receptor complex, rendering a more effective therapeutic outcome possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yagmur Azbazdar
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, İzmir, Turkey.,Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Karabicici
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, İzmir, Turkey.,Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Esra Erdal
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, İzmir, Turkey.,Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Gunes Ozhan
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, İzmir, Turkey.,Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, İzmir, Turkey
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10
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Nygaard R, Yu J, Kim J, Ross DR, Parisi G, Clarke OB, Virshup DM, Mancia F. Structural Basis of WLS/Evi-Mediated Wnt Transport and Secretion. Cell 2021; 184:194-206.e14. [PMID: 33357447 PMCID: PMC7797000 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.11.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Wnts are evolutionarily conserved ligands that signal at short range to regulate morphogenesis, cell fate, and stem cell renewal. The first and essential steps in Wnt secretion are their O-palmitoleation and subsequent loading onto the dedicated transporter Wntless/evenness interrupted (WLS/Evi). We report the 3.2 Å resolution cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of palmitoleated human WNT8A in complex with WLS. This is accompanied by biochemical experiments to probe the physiological implications of the observed association. The WLS membrane domain has close structural homology to G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). A Wnt hairpin inserts into a conserved hydrophobic cavity in the GPCR-like domain, and the palmitoleate protrudes between two helices into the bilayer. A conformational switch of highly conserved residues on a separate Wnt hairpin might contribute to its transfer to receiving cells. This work provides molecular-level insights into a central mechanism in animal body plan development and stem cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rie Nygaard
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Jia Yu
- Programme in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Jonathan Kim
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Daniel R Ross
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Giacomo Parisi
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Oliver B Clarke
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - David M Virshup
- Programme in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore; Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27705, USA.
| | - Filippo Mancia
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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11
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Veerapathiran S, Teh C, Zhu S, Kartigayen I, Korzh V, Matsudaira PT, Wohland T. Wnt3 distribution in the zebrafish brain is determined by expression, diffusion and multiple molecular interactions. eLife 2020; 9:e59489. [PMID: 33236989 PMCID: PMC7725503 DOI: 10.7554/elife.59489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt3 proteins are lipidated and glycosylated signaling molecules that play an important role in zebrafish neural patterning and brain development. However, the transport mechanism of lipid-modified Wnts through the hydrophilic extracellular environment for long-range action remains unresolved. Here we determine how Wnt3 accomplishes long-range distribution in the zebrafish brain. First, we characterize the Wnt3-producing source and Wnt3-receiving target regions. Subsequently, we analyze Wnt3 mobility at different length scales by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. We demonstrate that Wnt3 spreads extracellularly and interacts with heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG). We then determine the binding affinity of Wnt3 to its receptor, Frizzled1 (Fzd1), using fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy and show that the co-receptor, low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (Lrp5), is required for Wnt3-Fzd1 interaction. Our results are consistent with the extracellular distribution of Wnt3 by a diffusive mechanism that is modified by tissue morphology, interactions with HSPG, and Lrp5-mediated receptor binding, to regulate zebrafish brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sapthaswaran Veerapathiran
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Cathleen Teh
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Shiwen Zhu
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Indira Kartigayen
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Vladimir Korzh
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Paul T Matsudaira
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Thorsten Wohland
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Department of Chemistry, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
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12
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Fuentes R, Tajer B, Kobayashi M, Pelliccia JL, Langdon Y, Abrams EW, Mullins MC. The maternal coordinate system: Molecular-genetics of embryonic axis formation and patterning in the zebrafish. Curr Top Dev Biol 2020; 140:341-389. [PMID: 32591080 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2020.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Axis specification of the zebrafish embryo begins during oogenesis and relies on proper formation of well-defined cytoplasmic domains within the oocyte. Upon fertilization, maternally-regulated cytoplasmic flow and repositioning of dorsal determinants establish the coordinate system that will build the structure and developmental body plan of the embryo. Failure of specific genes that regulate the embryonic coordinate system leads to catastrophic loss of body structures. Here, we review the genetic principles of axis formation and discuss how maternal factors orchestrate axis patterning during zebrafish early embryogenesis. We focus on the molecular identity and functional contribution of genes controlling critical aspects of oogenesis, egg activation, blastula, and gastrula stages. We examine how polarized cytoplasmic domains form in the oocyte, which set off downstream events such as animal-vegetal polarity and germ line development. After gametes interact and form the zygote, cytoplasmic segregation drives the animal-directed reorganization of maternal determinants through calcium- and cell cycle-dependent signals. We also summarize how maternal genes control dorsoventral, anterior-posterior, mesendodermal, and left-right cell fate specification and how signaling pathways pattern these axes and tissues during early development to instruct the three-dimensional body plan. Advances in reverse genetics and phenotyping approaches in the zebrafish model are revealing positional patterning signatures at the single-cell level, thus enhancing our understanding of genotype-phenotype interactions in axis formation. Our emphasis is on the genetic interrogation of novel and specific maternal regulatory mechanisms of axis specification in the zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Fuentes
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Benjamin Tajer
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Manami Kobayashi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Jose L Pelliccia
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Elliott W Abrams
- Department of Biology, Purchase College, State University of New York, Harrison, NY, United States
| | - Mary C Mullins
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
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13
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Rao DM, Shackleford MT, Bordeaux EK, Sottnik JL, Ferguson RL, Yamamoto TM, Wellberg EA, Bitler BG, Sikora MJ. Wnt family member 4 (WNT4) and WNT3A activate cell-autonomous Wnt signaling independent of porcupine O-acyltransferase or Wnt secretion. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:19950-19966. [PMID: 31740580 PMCID: PMC6937561 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.009615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Porcupine O-acyltransferase (PORCN) is considered essential for Wnt secretion and signaling. However, we observed that PORCN inhibition does not phenocopy the effects of WNT4 knockdown in WNT4-dependent breast cancer cells. This suggests a unique relationship between PORCN and WNT4 signaling. To examine the role of PORCN in WNT4 signaling, here we overexpressed WNT4 or WNT3A in breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and fibrosarcoma cell lines. Conditioned media from these lines and co-culture systems were used to assess the dependence of Wnt secretion and activity on the critical Wnt secretion proteins PORCN and Wnt ligand secretion (WLS) mediator. We observed that WLS is universally required for Wnt secretion and paracrine signaling. In contrast, the dependence of WNT3A secretion and activity on PORCN varied across the cell lines, and WNT4 secretion was PORCN-independent in all models. Surprisingly, WNT4 did not exhibit paracrine activity in any tested context. Absent the expected paracrine activity of secreted WNT4, we identified cell-autonomous Wnt signaling activation by WNT4 and WNT3A, independent of PORCN or Wnt secretion. The PORCN-independent, cell-autonomous Wnt signaling demonstrated here may be critical in WNT4-driven cellular contexts or in those that are considered to have dysfunctional Wnt signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deviyani M Rao
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Madeleine T Shackleford
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Evelyn K Bordeaux
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Joseph L Sottnik
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Rebecca L Ferguson
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Tomomi M Yamamoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Elizabeth A Wellberg
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Benjamin G Bitler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Matthew J Sikora
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
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14
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Azbazdar Y, Ozalp O, Sezgin E, Veerapathiran S, Duncan AL, Sansom MSP, Eggeling C, Wohland T, Karaca E, Ozhan G. More Favorable Palmitic Acid Over Palmitoleic Acid Modification of Wnt3 Ensures Its Localization and Activity in Plasma Membrane Domains. Front Cell Dev Biol 2019; 7:281. [PMID: 31803740 PMCID: PMC6873803 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
While the lateral organization of plasma membrane components has been shown to control binding of Wnt ligands to their receptors preferentially in the ordered membrane domains, the role of posttranslational lipid modification of Wnt on this selective binding is unknown. Here, we identify that the canonical Wnt is presumably acylated by palmitic acid, a saturated 16-carbon fatty acid, at a conserved serine residue. Acylation of Wnt3 is dispensable for its secretion and binding to Fz8 while it is essential for Wnt3's proper binding and domain-like diffusion in the ordered membrane domains. We further unravel that non-palmitoylated Wnt3 is unable to activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling either in zebrafish embryos or in mammalian cells. Based on these results, we propose that the lipidation of canonical Wnt, presumably by a saturated fatty acid, determines its competence in interacting with the receptors in the appropriate domains of the plasma membrane, ultimately keeping the signaling activity under control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yagmur Azbazdar
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Inciralti-Balcova, Izmir, Turkey
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, Inciralti-Balcova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ozgun Ozalp
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Inciralti-Balcova, Izmir, Turkey
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, Inciralti-Balcova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Erdinc Sezgin
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sapthaswaran Veerapathiran
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anna L. Duncan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Mark S. P. Sansom
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Christian Eggeling
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Super-Resolution Microscopy, Institute for Applied Optics and Biophysics, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Department of Biophysical Imaging, Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology e.V., Jena, Germany
| | - Thorsten Wohland
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ezgi Karaca
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Inciralti-Balcova, Izmir, Turkey
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, Inciralti-Balcova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Gunes Ozhan
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Inciralti-Balcova, Izmir, Turkey
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, Inciralti-Balcova, Izmir, Turkey
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15
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Kozielewicz P, Turku A, Schulte G. Molecular Pharmacology of Class F Receptor Activation. Mol Pharmacol 2019; 97:62-71. [PMID: 31591260 DOI: 10.1124/mol.119.117986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The class Frizzled (FZD) or class F of G protein-coupled receptors consists of 10 FZD paralogues and Smoothened (SMO). FZDs coordinate wingless/Int-1 signaling and SMO mediates Hedgehog signaling. Class F receptor signaling is intrinsically important for embryonic development and its dysregulation leads to diseases, including diverse forms of tumors. With regard to the importance of class F signaling in human disease, these receptors provide an attractive target for therapeutics, exemplified by the use of SMO antagonists for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma. Here, we review recent structural insights in combination with a more detailed functional understanding of class F receptor activation, G protein coupling, conformation-based functional selectivity, and mechanistic details of activating cancer mutations, which will lay the basis for further development of class F-targeting small molecules for human therapy. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Stimulated by recent insights into the activation mechanisms of class F receptors from structural and functional analysis of Frizzled and Smoothened, we aim to summarize what we know about the molecular details of ligand binding, agonist-driven conformational changes, and class F receptor activation. A better understanding of receptor activation mechanisms will allow us to engage in structure- and mechanism-driven drug discovery with the potential to develop more isoform-selective and potentially pathway-selective drugs for human therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Kozielewicz
- Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ainoleena Turku
- Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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16
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Wnt Binding Affinity Prediction for Putative Frizzled-Type Cysteine-Rich Domains. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20174168. [PMID: 31454915 PMCID: PMC6747125 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20174168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Several proteins other than the frizzled receptors (Fzd) and the secreted Frizzled-related proteins (sFRP) contain Fzd-type cysteine-rich domains (CRD). We have termed these domains “putative Fzd-type CRDs”, as the relevance of Wnt signalling in the majority of these is unknown; the RORs, an exception to this, are well known for mediating non-canonical Wnt signalling. In this study, we have predicted the likely binding affinity of all Wnts for all putative Fzd-type CRDs. We applied both our previously determined Wnt‒Fzd CRD binding affinity prediction model, as well as a newly devised model wherein the lipid term was forced to contribute favourably to the predicted binding energy. The results obtained from our new model indicate that certain putative Fzd CRDs are much more likely to bind Wnts, in some cases exhibiting selectivity for specific Wnts. The results of this study inform the investigation of Wnt signalling modulation beyond Fzds and sFRPs.
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17
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Malsin ES, Kim S, Lam AP, Gottardi CJ. Macrophages as a Source and Recipient of Wnt Signals. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1813. [PMID: 31417574 PMCID: PMC6685136 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrophages are often viewed through the lens of their core functions, but recent transcriptomic studies reveal them to be largely distinct across tissue types. While these differences appear to be shaped by their local environment, the key signals that drive these transcriptional differences remain unclear. Since Wnt signaling plays established roles in cell fate decisions, and tissue patterning during development and tissue repair after injury, we consider evidence that Wnt signals both target and are affected by macrophage functions. We propose that the Wnt gradients present in developing and adult tissues effectively shape macrophage fates and phenotypes. We also highlight evidence that macrophages, through an ability to dispatch Wnt signals, may couple tissue debridement and matrix remodeling with stem cell activation and tissue repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth S Malsin
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Seokjo Kim
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Anna P Lam
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Cara J Gottardi
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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