1
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Housini M, Dariya B, Ahmed N, Stevens A, Fiadjoe H, Nagaraju GP, Basha R. Colorectal cancer: Genetic alterations, novel biomarkers, current therapeutic strategies and clinical trials. Gene 2024; 892:147857. [PMID: 37783294 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly detected cancer with a serious global health issue. The rates for incidence and mortality for CRC are alarming, especially since the prognosis is abysmal when the CRC is diagnosed at an advanced or metastatic stage. Both type of (modifiable/ non-modifiable) types of risk factors are established for CRC. Despite the advances in recent technology and sophisticated research, the survival rate is still meager due to delays in diagnosis. Therefore, there is urgently required to identify critical biomarkers aiming at early diagnosis and improving effective therapeutic strategies. Additionally, a complete understanding of the dysregulated pathways like PI3K/Akt, Notch, and Wnt associated with CRC progression and metastasis is very beneficial in designing a therapeutic regimen. This review article focused on the dysregulated signaling pathways, genetics and epigenetics alterations, and crucial biomarkers of CRC. This review also provided the list of clinical trials targeting signaling cascades and therapies involving small molecules. This review discusses up-to-date information on novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies alongside specific clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Housini
- Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States
| | - Begum Dariya
- Center for Drug Design, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 5545, United States
| | - Nadia Ahmed
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States
| | - Alyssa Stevens
- Missouri Southern State University, Joplin, MO 64801, United States
| | - Hope Fiadjoe
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States
| | - Ganji Purnachandra Nagaraju
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States.
| | - Riyaz Basha
- Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States; Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States.
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2
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Doucet D, Brubaker C, Turner D, Gregory CA. Factors affecting the role of canonical Wnt inhibitor Dickkopf-1 in cancer progression. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1114822. [PMID: 37007131 PMCID: PMC10050559 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1114822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundThe canonical Wnt inhibitor Dickkopf-1 (Dkk-1) has the capacity to modulate homeostasis between canonical and non-canonical Wnt pathways and also signal independently of Wnt. The specific effects of Dkk-1 activity on tumor physiology are therefore unpredictable with examples of Dkk-1 serving as either a driver or suppressor of malignancy. Given that Dkk-1 blockade may serve as a potential treatment for some types of cancer, we questioned whether it is possible to predict the role of Dkk-1 on tumor progression based on the tissue origin of the tumor.MethodsOriginal research articles that described Dkk-1 in terms a tumor suppressor or driver of cancer growth were identified. To determine the association between tumor developmental origin and the role of Dkk-1, a logistic regression was performed. The Cancer Genome Atlas database was interrogated for survival statistics based on tumor Dkk-1 expression.ResultsWe report that Dkk-1 is statistically more likely to serve as a suppressor in tumors arising from the ectoderm (p = 0.0198) or endoderm (p = 0.0334) but more likely to serve as a disease driver in tumors of mesodermal origin (p = 0.0155). Survival analyses indicated that in cases where Dkk-1 expression could be stratified, high Dkk-1 expression is usually associated with poor prognosis. This in part may be due to pro-tumorigenic role Dkk-1 plays on tumor cells but also through its influence on immunomodulatory and angiogenic processes in the tumor stroma.ConclusionDkk-1 has a context-specific dual role as a tumor suppressor or driver. Dkk-1 is significantly more likely to serve as a tumor suppressor in tumors arising from ectoderm and endoderm while the converse is true for mesodermal tumors. Patient survival data indicated high Dkk-1 expression is generally a poor prognostic indicator. These findings provide further support for the importance of Dkk-1 as a therapeutic cancer target in some cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dakota Doucet
- Medical Sciences Program, Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Connor Brubaker
- Department of Statistics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Donald Turner
- Department of Statistics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Carl A. Gregory
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Carl A. Gregory,
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3
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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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4
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Craig SEL, Michalski MN, Williams BO. Got WNTS? Insight into bone health from a WNT perspective. Curr Top Dev Biol 2023; 153:327-346. [PMID: 36967199 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
WNT signaling, essential for many aspects of development, is among the most commonly altered pathways associated with human disease. While initially studied in cancer, dysregulation of WNT signaling has been determined to be essential for skeletal development and the maintenance of bone health throughout life. In this review, we discuss the role of Wnt signaling in bone development and disease with a particular focus on two areas. First, we discuss the roles of WNT signaling pathways in skeletal development, with an emphasis on congenital and idiopathic skeletal syndromes and diseases that are associated with genetic variations in WNT signaling components. Next, we cover a topic that has long been an interest of our laboratory, how high and low levels of WNT signaling affects the establishment and maintenance of healthy bone mass. We conclude with a discussion of the status of WNT-based therapeutics in the treatment of skeletal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonya E L Craig
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Megan N Michalski
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Bart O Williams
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States.
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5
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Dickmann JEM, Rink JC, Jülicher F. Long-range morphogen gradient formation by cell-to-cell signal propagation. Phys Biol 2022; 19. [PMID: 35921820 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/ac86b4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Morphogen gradients are a central concept in developmental biology. Their formation often involves the secretion of morphogens from a local source, that spread by diffusion in the cell field, where molecules eventually get degraded. This implies limits to both the time and length scales over which morphogen gradients can form which are set by diffusion coefficients and degradation rates. Towards the goal of identifying plausible mechanisms capable of extending the gradient range, we here use theory to explore properties of a cell-to-cell signaling relay. Inspired by the millimeter-scale Wnt-expression and signaling gradients in flatworms, we consider morphogen-mediated morphogen production in the cell field. We show that such a relay can generate stable morphogen and signaling gradients that are oriented by a local, morphogen-independent source of morphogen at a boundary. This gradient formation can be related to an effective diffusion and an effective degradation that result from morphogen production due to signaling relay. If the secretion of morphogen produced in response to the relay is polarized, it further gives rise to an effective drift. We find that signaling relay can generate long-ranged gradients in relevant times without relying on extreme choices of diffusion coefficients or degradation rates, thus exceeding the limits set by physiological diffusion coefficients and degradation rates. A signaling relay is hence an attractive principle to conceptualize long-range gradient formation by slowly diffusing morphogens that are relevant for patterning in adult contexts such as regeneration and tissue turn-over.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna E M Dickmann
- Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Nöthnitzer Straße 38, Dresden, Sachsen, 01187, GERMANY
| | - Jochen C Rink
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Faßberg 11, Gottingen, Niedersachsen, 37077, GERMANY
| | - Frank Jülicher
- Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik komplexer Systeme, Nöthnitzer Strasse 38, 01187 Dresden, Dresden, 01187, GERMANY
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6
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Arredondo SB, Valenzuela-Bezanilla D, Santibanez SH, Varela-Nallar L. Wnt signaling in the adult hippocampal neurogenic niche. Stem Cells 2022; 40:630-640. [PMID: 35446432 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxac027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
The subgranular zone (SGZ) of the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) is a neurogenic niche of the adult brain that contains neural stem cells (NSCs) able to generate excitatory glutamatergic granule neurons, which integrate into the DG circuit and contribute to hippocampal plasticity, learning, and memory. Thus, endogenous NSCs could be harnessed for therapeutic purposes. In this context, it is critical to characterize the molecular mechanisms controlling the generation and functional integration of adult-born neurons. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is tightly controlled by both cell-autonomous mechanisms and the interaction with the complex niche microenvironment, which harbors the NSCs and provides the signals to support their maintenance, activation, and differentiation. Among niche-derived factors, Wnt ligands play diverse roles. Wnts are secreted glycoproteins that bind to Frizzled receptors and co-receptors to trigger the Wnt signaling pathway. Here, we summarize the current knowledge about the roles of Wnts in the regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. We discuss the possible contribution of the different niche cells to the regulation of local Wnt signaling activity, and how Wnts derived from different cell types could induce differential effects. Finally, we discuss how the effects of Wnt signaling on hippocampal network activity might contribute to neurogenesis regulation. Although the evidence supports relevant roles for Wnt signaling in adult hippocampal neurogenesis, defining the cellular source and the mechanisms controlling secretion and diffusion of Wnts will be crucial to further understand Wnt signaling regulation of adult NSCs, and eventually, to propose this pathway as a therapeutic target to promote neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian B Arredondo
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Echaurren 183, 8370071, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Valenzuela-Bezanilla
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Echaurren 183, 8370071, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastian H Santibanez
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Echaurren 183, 8370071, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lorena Varela-Nallar
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Echaurren 183, 8370071, Santiago, Chile
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7
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Holstein TW. The role of cnidarian developmental biology in unraveling axis formation and Wnt signaling. Dev Biol 2022; 487:74-98. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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8
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Caspi M, Wittenstein A, Kazelnik M, Shor-Nareznoy Y, Rosin-Arbesfeld R. Therapeutic targeting of the oncogenic Wnt signaling pathway for treating colorectal cancer and other colonic disorders. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 169:118-136. [PMID: 33346022 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2020.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The canonical Wnt pathway is one of the key cellular signaling cascades that regulates, via the transcriptional co-activator β-catenin, numerous embryogenic developmental processes, as well as tissue homeostasis. It is therefore not surprising that misregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway has been implicated in carcinogenesis. Aberrant Wnt signaling has been reported in a variety of malignancies, and its role in both hereditary and sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC), has been the subject of intensive study. Interestingly, the vast majority of colorectal tumors harbor mutations in the tumor suppressor gene adenomatous polyposis coli (APC). The Wnt pathway is complex, and despite decades of research, the mechanisms that underlie its functions are not completely known. Thus, although the Wnt cascade is an attractive target for therapeutic intervention against CRC, one of the malignancies with the highest morbidity and mortality rates, achieving efficacy and safety is yet extremely challenging. Here, we review the current knowledge of the Wnt different epistatic signaling components and the mechanism/s by which the signal is transduced in both health and disease, focusing on CRC. We address some of the important questions in the field and describe various therapeutic strategies designed to combat unregulated Wnt signaling, the development of targeted therapy approaches and the emerging challenges that are associated with these advanced methods.
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9
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Guignard L, Fiúza UM, Leggio B, Laussu J, Faure E, Michelin G, Biasuz K, Hufnagel L, Malandain G, Godin C, Lemaire P. Contact area-dependent cell communication and the morphological invariance of ascidian embryogenesis. Science 2020; 369:369/6500/eaar5663. [PMID: 32646972 DOI: 10.1126/science.aar5663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Marine invertebrate ascidians display embryonic reproducibility: Their early embryonic cell lineages are considered invariant and are conserved between distantly related species, despite rapid genomic divergence. Here, we address the drivers of this reproducibility. We used light-sheet imaging and automated cell segmentation and tracking procedures to systematically quantify the behavior of individual cells every 2 minutes during Phallusia mammillata embryogenesis. Interindividual reproducibility was observed down to the area of individual cell contacts. We found tight links between the reproducibility of embryonic geometries and asymmetric cell divisions, controlled by differential sister cell inductions. We combined modeling and experimental manipulations to show that the area of contact between signaling and responding cells is a key determinant of cell communication. Our work establishes the geometric control of embryonic inductions as an alternative to classical morphogen gradients and suggests that the range of cell signaling sets the scale at which embryonic reproducibility is observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léo Guignard
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France.,Virtual Plants, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, Inria, 34095 Montpellier, France.,Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Ulla-Maj Fiúza
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France.,Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bruno Leggio
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France.,Virtual Plants, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, Inria, 34095 Montpellier, France.,Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, INRA, Inria, 69342 Lyon, France
| | - Julien Laussu
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Emmanuel Faure
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France.,Virtual Plants, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, Inria, 34095 Montpellier, France.,Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse (IRIT), Universités Toulouse I et III, CNRS, INPT, ENSEEIHT, 31071 Toulouse, France
| | - Gaël Michelin
- Morpheme, Université Côte d'Azur, Inria, CNRS, I3S, France
| | - Kilian Biasuz
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Lars Hufnagel
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | | | - Christophe Godin
- Virtual Plants, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, Inria, 34095 Montpellier, France. .,Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, INRA, Inria, 69342 Lyon, France
| | - Patrick Lemaire
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France.
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10
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Wesslowski J, Kozielewicz P, Wang X, Cui H, Schihada H, Kranz D, Karuna M P, Levkin P, Gross JC, Boutros M, Schulte G, Davidson G. eGFP-tagged Wnt-3a enables functional analysis of Wnt trafficking and signaling and kinetic assessment of Wnt binding to full-length Frizzled. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:8759-8774. [PMID: 32381507 PMCID: PMC7324525 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.012892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wingless/Int1 (Wnt) signaling system plays multiple, essential roles in embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, and human diseases. Although many of the underlying signaling mechanisms are becoming clearer, the binding mode, kinetics, and selectivity of 19 mammalian WNTs to their receptors of the class Frizzled (FZD1–10) remain obscure. Attempts to investigate Wnt-FZD interactions are hampered by the difficulties in working with Wnt proteins and their recalcitrance to epitope tagging. Here, we used a fluorescently tagged version of mouse Wnt-3a for studying Wnt-FZD interactions. We observed that the enhanced GFP (eGFP)-tagged Wnt-3a maintains properties akin to wild-type (WT) Wnt-3a in several biologically relevant contexts. The eGFP-tagged Wnt-3a was secreted in an evenness interrupted (EVI)/Wntless-dependent manner, activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling in 2D and 3D cell culture experiments, promoted axis duplication in Xenopus embryos, stimulated low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) phosphorylation in cells, and associated with exosomes. Further, we used conditioned medium containing eGFP-Wnt-3a to visualize its binding to FZD and to quantify Wnt-FZD interactions in real time in live cells, utilizing a recently established NanoBRET-based ligand binding assay. In summary, the development of a biologically active, fluorescent Wnt-3a reported here opens up the technical possibilities to unravel the intricate biology of Wnt signaling and Wnt-receptor selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Wesslowski
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Pawel Kozielewicz
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xianxian Wang
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Haijun Cui
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Hannes Schihada
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dominique Kranz
- Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pradhipa Karuna M
- Hematology and Oncology/Developmental Biochemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Pavel Levkin
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Julia Christina Gross
- Hematology and Oncology/Developmental Biochemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Michael Boutros
- Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Gary Davidson
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany.
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11
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Lu M, Mizumoto K. Gradient-independent Wnt signaling instructs asymmetric neurite pruning in C. elegans. eLife 2019; 8:e50583. [PMID: 31804181 PMCID: PMC6894928 DOI: 10.7554/elife.50583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
During development, the nervous system undergoes a refinement process by which neurons initially extend an excess number of neurites, the majority of which will be eliminated by the mechanism called neurite pruning. Some neurites undergo stereotyped and developmentally regulated pruning. However, the signaling cues that instruct stereotyped neurite pruning are yet to be fully elucidated. Here we show that Wnt morphogen instructs stereotyped neurite pruning for proper neurite projection patterning of the cholinergic motor neuron called PDB in C. elegans. In lin-44/wnt and lin-17/frizzled mutant animals, the PDB neurites often failed to prune and grew towards the lin-44-expressing cells. Surprisingly, membrane-tethered lin-44 is sufficient to induce proper neurite pruning in PDB, suggesting that neurite pruning does not require a Wnt gradient. LIN-17 and DSH-1/Dishevelled proteins were recruited to the pruning neurites in lin-44-dependent manners. Our results revealed the novel gradient-independent role of Wnt signaling in instructing neurite pruning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menghao Lu
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Kota Mizumoto
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
- Life Sciences Institute, University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
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12
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Abstract
Wnt proteins are secreted glycoproteins that regulate multiple processes crucial to the development and tissue homeostasis of multicellular organisms, including tissue patterning, proliferation, cell fate specification, cell polarity and migration. To elicit these effects, Wnts act as autocrine as well as paracrine signalling molecules between Wnt-producing and Wnt-receiving cells. More than 40 years after the discovery of the Wg/Wnt pathway, it is still unclear how they are transported to fulfil their paracrine signalling functions. Several mechanisms have been proposed to mediate intercellular Wnt transport, including Wnt-binding proteins, lipoproteins, exosomes and cytonemes. In this Review, we describe the evidence for each proposed mechanism, and discuss how they may contribute to Wnt dispersal in tissue-specific and context-dependent manners, to regulate embryonic development precisely and maintain the internal steady state within a defined tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Routledge
- Living Systems Institute, Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Science, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Steffen Scholpp
- Living Systems Institute, Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Science, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
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13
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Cheng X, Xu X, Chen D, Zhao F, Wang W. Therapeutic potential of targeting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in colorectal cancer. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 110:473-481. [PMID: 30530050 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.11.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 285] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling has often been reported in different cancers, particularly colorectal cancer (CRC), and this signaling cascade is central to carcinogenesis. Approximately 80% of CRC cases harbor mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli gene, and half of the remaining cases feature mutations in the β-catenin gene that affect the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Unsurprisingly, the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway has potential value as a therapeutic target in the treatment of CRC. Several inhibitors of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway have been developed for CRC treatment, but so far no molecular therapeutic targeting this pathway has been incorporated into oncological practice. In this review, we discuss the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in CRC and its potential as a target of innovative therapeutic approaches for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Cheng
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang Province, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangming Xu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China
| | - Dong Chen
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang Province, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Feng Zhao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weilin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang Province, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
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14
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Mattes B, Dang Y, Greicius G, Kaufmann LT, Prunsche B, Rosenbauer J, Stegmaier J, Mikut R, Özbek S, Nienhaus GU, Schug A, Virshup DM, Scholpp S. Wnt/PCP controls spreading of Wnt/β-catenin signals by cytonemes in vertebrates. eLife 2018; 7:36953. [PMID: 30060804 PMCID: PMC6086664 DOI: 10.7554/elife.36953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Signaling filopodia, termed cytonemes, are dynamic actin-based membrane structures that regulate the exchange of signaling molecules and their receptors within tissues. However, how cytoneme formation is regulated remains unclear. Here, we show that Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) autocrine signaling controls the emergence of cytonemes, and that cytonemes subsequently control paracrine Wnt/β-catenin signal activation. Upon binding of the Wnt family member Wnt8a, the receptor tyrosine kinase Ror2 becomes activated. Ror2/PCP signaling leads to the induction of cytonemes, which mediate the transport of Wnt8a to neighboring cells. In the Wnt-receiving cells, Wnt8a on cytonemes triggers Wnt/β-catenin-dependent gene transcription and proliferation. We show that cytoneme-based Wnt transport operates in diverse processes, including zebrafish development, murine intestinal crypt and human cancer organoids, demonstrating that Wnt transport by cytonemes and its control via the Ror2 pathway is highly conserved in vertebrates. Communication helps the cells that make up tissues and organs to work together as a team. One way that cells share information with each other as tissues grow and develop is by exchanging signaling proteins. These interact with receptors on the surface of other cells; this causes the cell to change how it behaves. The Wnt family of signaling proteins orchestrate organ development. Wnt proteins influence which types of cells develop, how fast they divide, and how and when they move. Relatively few cells, or small groups of cells, in developing tissues produce Wnt proteins, while larger groups nearby respond to the signals. We do not fully understand how Wnt proteins travel between cells, but recent work revealed an unexpected mechanism – cells seem to hand-deliver their messages. Finger-like structures called cytonemes grow out of the cell membrane and carry Wnt proteins to their destination. If the cytonemes do not form properly the target cells do not behave correctly, which can lead to severe tissue malformation. Mattes et al. have now investigated how cytonemes form using a combination of state-of-the-art genetic and high-resolution imaging techniques. In initial experiments involving zebrafish cells that were grown in the laboratory, Mattes et al. found that the Wnt proteins kick start their own transport; before they travel to their destination, they act on the cells that made them. A Wnt protein called Wnt8a activates the receptor Ror2 on the surface of the signal-producing cell. Ror2 then triggers signals inside the cell that begin the assembly of the cytonemes. The more Ror2 is activated, the more cytonemes the cell makes, and the more Wnt signals it can send out. This mechanism operates in various tissues: Ror2 also controls the cytoneme transport process in living zebrafish embryos, the mouse intestine and human stomach tumors. This knowledge will help researchers to develop new ways to control Wnt signaling, which could help to produce new treatments for diseases ranging from cancers (for example in the stomach and bowel) to degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Mattes
- Living Systems Institute, School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.,Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Yonglong Dang
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Gediminas Greicius
- Program in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Benedikt Prunsche
- Institute of Applied Physics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jakob Rosenbauer
- John von Neumann Institute for Computing, Jülich Supercomputing Centre, Jülich, Germany
| | - Johannes Stegmaier
- Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany.,Institute of Imaging and Computer Vision, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ralf Mikut
- Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Suat Özbek
- Centre of Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Gerd Ulrich Nienhaus
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany.,Institute of Applied Physics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany.,Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany.,Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States
| | - Alexander Schug
- John von Neumann Institute for Computing, Jülich Supercomputing Centre, Jülich, Germany.,Steinbuch Centre for Computing, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - David M Virshup
- Program in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Steffen Scholpp
- Living Systems Institute, School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.,Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
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15
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Burgy O, Königshoff M. The WNT signaling pathways in wound healing and fibrosis. Matrix Biol 2018; 68-69:67-80. [PMID: 29572156 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2018.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The WNT signaling pathways are major regulators of organ development. Ample research over the past few decades revealed that these pathways are critically involved in adult tissue homeostasis and stem cell function as well as the development of chronic diseases, such as cancer and fibrosis. In this review, we will describe the different WNT signal pathways, summarize the current evidence of WNT signal involvement in wound healing and fibrosis, and highlight potential novel therapeutic options for fibrotic disorders targeting WNT signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Burgy
- Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Melanie Königshoff
- Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA.
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16
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Rauscher B, Heigwer F, Henkel L, Hielscher T, Voloshanenko O, Boutros M. Toward an integrated map of genetic interactions in cancer cells. Mol Syst Biol 2018; 14:e7656. [PMID: 29467179 PMCID: PMC5820685 DOI: 10.15252/msb.20177656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Revised: 01/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer genomes often harbor hundreds of molecular aberrations. Such genetic variants can be drivers or passengers of tumorigenesis and create vulnerabilities for potential therapeutic exploitation. To identify genotype-dependent vulnerabilities, forward genetic screens in different genetic backgrounds have been conducted. We devised MINGLE, a computational framework to integrate CRISPR/Cas9 screens originating from different libraries building on approaches pioneered for genetic network discovery in model organisms. We applied this method to integrate and analyze data from 85 CRISPR/Cas9 screens in human cancer cells combining functional data with information on genetic variants to explore more than 2.1 million gene-background relationships. In addition to known dependencies, we identified new genotype-specific vulnerabilities of cancer cells. Experimental validation of predicted vulnerabilities identified GANAB and PRKCSH as new positive regulators of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. By clustering genes with similar genetic interaction profiles, we drew the largest genetic network in cancer cells to date. Our scalable approach highlights how diverse genetic screens can be integrated to systematically build informative maps of genetic interactions in cancer, which can grow dynamically as more data are included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Rauscher
- Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Florian Heigwer
- Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Luisa Henkel
- Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Hielscher
- Division of Biostatistics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Oksana Voloshanenko
- Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Boutros
- Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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17
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Zuccarini M, Giuliani P, Ziberi S, Carluccio M, Iorio PD, Caciagli F, Ciccarelli R. The Role of Wnt Signal in Glioblastoma Development and Progression: A Possible New Pharmacological Target for the Therapy of This Tumor. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9020105. [PMID: 29462960 PMCID: PMC5852601 DOI: 10.3390/genes9020105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt is a complex signaling pathway involved in the regulation of crucial biological functions such as development, proliferation, differentiation and migration of cells, mainly stem cells, which are virtually present in all embryonic and adult tissues. Conversely, dysregulation of Wnt signal is implicated in development/progression/invasiveness of different kinds of tumors, wherein a certain number of multipotent cells, namely “cancer stem cells”, are characterized by high self-renewal and aggressiveness. Hence, the pharmacological modulation of Wnt pathway could be of particular interest, especially in tumors for which the current standard therapy results to be unsuccessful. This might be the case of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), one of the most lethal, aggressive and recurrent brain cancers, probably due to the presence of highly malignant GBM stem cells (GSCs) as well as to a dysregulation of Wnt system. By examining the most recent literature, here we point out several factors in the Wnt pathway that are altered in human GBM and derived GSCs, as well as new molecular strategies or experimental drugs able to modulate/inhibit aberrant Wnt signal. Altogether, these aspects serve to emphasize the existence of alternative pharmacological targets that may be useful to develop novel therapies for GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariachiara Zuccarini
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Center and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
| | - Patricia Giuliani
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Center and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
| | - Sihana Ziberi
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Center and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- StemTeCh Group, via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
| | - Marzia Carluccio
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Center and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- StemTeCh Group, via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
| | - Patrizia Di Iorio
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Center and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
| | - Francesco Caciagli
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Center and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
| | - Renata Ciccarelli
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Center and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
- StemTeCh Group, via L. Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
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18
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WNT ligands contribute to the immune response during septic shock and amplify endotoxemia-driven inflammation in mice. Blood Adv 2017; 1:1274-1286. [PMID: 29296769 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2017006163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying dysregulated inflammatory responses in severe infection and septic shock is urgently needed to improve patient management and identify new therapeutic opportunities. The WNT signaling pathway has been implicated as a novel constituent of the immune response to infection, but its contribution to the host response in septic shock is unknown. Although individual WNT proteins have been ascribed pro- or anti-inflammatory functions, their concerted contributions to inflammation in vivo remain to be clearly defined. Here we report differential expression of multiple WNT ligands in whole blood of patients with septic shock and reveal significant correlations with inflammatory cytokines. Systemic challenge of mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) similarly elicited differential expression of multiple WNT ligands with correlations between WNT and cytokine expression that partially overlap with the findings in human blood. Molecular regulators of WNT expression during microbial encounter in vivo are largely unexplored. Analyses in gene-deficient mice revealed differential contributions of Toll-like receptor signaling adaptors, a positive role for tumor necrosis factor, but a negative regulatory role for interleukin (IL)-12/23p40 in the LPS-induced expression of Wnt5b, Wnt10a, Wnt10b, and Wnt11. Pharmacologic targeting of bottlenecks of the WNT network, WNT acylation and β-catenin activity, diminished IL-6, tumor necrosis factor, and IL-12/23p40 in serum of LPS-challenged mice and cultured splenocytes, whereas IL-10 production remained largely unaffected. Taken together, our data support the conclusion that the concerted action of WNT proteins during severe infection and septic shock promotes inflammation, and that this is, at least in part, mediated by WNT/β-catenin signaling.
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19
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Bahrami A, Amerizadeh F, ShahidSales S, Khazaei M, Ghayour-Mobarhan M, Sadeghnia HR, Maftouh M, Hassanian SM, Avan A. Therapeutic Potential of Targeting Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway in Treatment of Colorectal Cancer: Rational and Progress. J Cell Biochem 2017; 118:1979-1983. [DOI: 10.1002/jcb.25903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Afsane Bahrami
- Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies; Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences; Mashhad Iran
| | - Forouzan Amerizadeh
- Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies; Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences; Mashhad Iran
| | - Soodabeh ShahidSales
- Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine; Mashhad University of Medical Sciences; Mashhad Iran
| | - Majid Khazaei
- Department of Physiology, Neurogenic Inflammatory Research Center; Mashhad University of Medical Sciences; Mashhad Iran
| | - Majid Ghayour-Mobarhan
- Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine; Mashhad University of Medical Sciences; Mashhad Iran
| | - Hamid Reza Sadeghnia
- Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies; Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences; Mashhad Iran
| | - Mina Maftouh
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, School of Medicine; Mashhad University of Medical Sciences; Mashhad Iran
| | - Seyed Mahdi Hassanian
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Medicine; Mashhad University of Medical Sciences; Mashhad Iran
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, School of Medicine; Mashhad University of Medical Sciences; Mashhad Iran
| | - Amir Avan
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, School of Medicine; Mashhad University of Medical Sciences; Mashhad Iran
- Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine; Mashhad University of Medical Sciences; Mashhad Iran
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20
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Blockade to pathological remodeling of infarcted heart tissue using a porcupine antagonist. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:1649-1654. [PMID: 28143939 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1621346114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The secreted Wnt signaling molecules are essential to the coordination of cell-fate decision making in multicellular organisms. In adult animals, the secreted Wnt proteins are critical for tissue regeneration and frequently contribute to cancer. Small molecules that disable the Wnt acyltransferase Porcupine (Porcn) are candidate anticancer agents in clinical testing. Here we have systematically assessed the effects of the Porcn inhibitor (WNT-974) on the regeneration of several tissue types to identify potentially unwanted chemical effects that could limit the therapeutic utility of such agents. An unanticipated observation from these studies is proregenerative responses in heart muscle induced by systemic chemical suppression of Wnt signaling. Using in vitro cultures of several cell types found in the heart, we delineate the Wnt signaling apparatus supporting an antiregenerative transcriptional program that includes a subunit of the nonfibrillar collagen VI. Similar to observations seen in animals exposed to WNT-974, deletion of the collagen VI subunit, COL6A1, has been shown to decrease aberrant remodeling and fibrosis in infarcted heart tissue. We demonstrate that WNT-974 can improve the recovery of heart function after left anterior descending coronary artery ligation by mitigating adverse remodeling of infarcted tissue. Injured heart tissue exposed to WNT-974 exhibits decreased scarring and reduced Col6 production. Our findings support the development of Porcn inhibitors as antifibrotic agents that could be exploited to promote heart repair following injury.
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21
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Wnt5a is essential for hippocampal dendritic maintenance and spatial learning and memory in adult mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E619-E628. [PMID: 28069946 PMCID: PMC5278440 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1615792114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Stability of neuronal connectivity is critical for brain functions, and morphological perturbations are associated with neurodegenerative disorders. However, how neuronal morphology is maintained in the adult brain remains poorly understood. Here, we identify Wnt5a, a member of the Wnt family of secreted morphogens, as an essential factor in maintaining dendritic architecture in the adult hippocampus and for related cognitive functions in mice. Wnt5a expression in hippocampal neurons begins postnatally, and its deletion attenuated CaMKII and Rac1 activity, reduced GluN1 glutamate receptor expression, and impaired synaptic plasticity and spatial learning and memory in 3-mo-old mice. With increased age, Wnt5a loss caused progressive attrition of dendrite arbors and spines in Cornu Ammonis (CA)1 pyramidal neurons and exacerbated behavioral defects. Wnt5a functions cell-autonomously to maintain CA1 dendrites, and exogenous Wnt5a expression corrected structural anomalies even at late-adult stages. These findings reveal a maintenance factor in the adult brain, and highlight a trophic pathway that can be targeted to ameliorate dendrite loss in pathological conditions.
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22
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Immune cell recruitment in teratomas is impaired by increased Wnt secretion. Stem Cell Res 2016; 17:607-615. [PMID: 27838585 DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2016.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2015] [Revised: 10/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Wnt signaling plays a central role in tumor initiation and tumor progression. Mutations in Wnt pathway components, such as the tumor suppressor APC, lead to malignant transformation. While previous studies focused on Wnt-related changes in cancer cells, the impact of aberrant Wnt signaling on the tumor microenvironment is only beginning to emerge. In order to investigate the role of increased Wnt secretion on tumor growth and the microenvironment, we generated a novel germ cell tumor model by overexpressing the Wnt secretion factor Evi/Wls in mouse embryonic stem cells. Evi-overexpressing teratoma were characterized by enhanced tumor growth in supporting a tumor-promoting role of Wnt secretion. Interestingly, enhanced Evi expression correlated with impaired immune cell recruitment. Specifically, T- and B-cell infiltration was reduced in Evi-overexpressing teratomas, which was independent of teratoma size and differentiation. Our study suggests that Wnt secretion impairs immunosurveillance. Since immune cell infiltration has been shown to have prognostic value, the levels of secreted Wnt activity might impact the efficiency of cancer immunotherapy.
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Kim Y, Jin D, Lee BB, Cho EY, Han J, Shim YM, Kim HK, Kim DH. Overexpression of β-Catenin and Cyclin D1 is Associated with Poor Overall Survival in Patients with Stage IA-IIA Squamous Cell Lung Cancer Irrespective of Adjuvant Chemotherapy. J Thorac Oncol 2016; 11:2193-2201. [PMID: 27498289 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2016.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study was aimed at understanding the effect of β-catenin and cyclin D1 on overall survival in patients with early-stage NSCLC and at evaluating if the prognostic effect can be modified by adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the expression of β-catenin and cyclin D1 using immunohistochemistry in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from 576 patients with early-stage NSCLC. RESULTS The median duration of follow-up was 5.1 years. Overexpression of β-catenin and cyclin D1 was found in 56% and 50% of 576 cases, respectively. Overexpression of β-catenin and cyclin D1 was significantly associated with poor overall survival (p = 0.003 and p = 0.0009, respectively; log rank test) in squamous cell carcinomas, not in adenocarcinomas. The prognostic significance of each protein in the squamous cell carcinomas was limited to stages IA, IB, and IIA. In addition, simultaneous overexpression of β-catenin and cyclin D1 in the squamous cell carcinomas synergistically increased hazard ratios (HRs) 15.79 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09-51.23; p =0.04) for stage IA, 10.30 (95% CI = 2.29-46.41; p = 0.002) for stage 1B, and 3.55 (95% CI = 1.22-10.36; p = 0.02) times for stage 2A compared to those without overexpression of the two proteins, after adjusting for confounding factors. In addition, the effect was not dependent on adjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS The present study suggests that simultaneous overexpression of β-catenin and cyclin D1 may be associated with poor overall survival irrespective of platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy in stage IA-IIA squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujin Kim
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - DongHao Jin
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Bo Bin Lee
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Eun Yoon Cho
- Department of Pathology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Joungho Han
- Department of Pathology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Mog Shim
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hong Kwan Kim
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Duk-Hwan Kim
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
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24
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Galli LM, Zebarjadi N, Li L, Lingappa VR, Burrus LW. Divergent effects of Porcupine and Wntless on WNT1 trafficking, secretion, and signaling. Exp Cell Res 2016; 347:171-183. [PMID: 27492485 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2016.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Loss-of-function studies have identified Porcupine (PORCN) and Wntless (WLS) as essential mediators of Wnt secretion and signaling. Whereas PORCN is thought to palmitoylate Wnt proteins, WLS is believed to transport palmitoylated Wnt proteins to the cell surface. However, little is known about how these two proteins cooperate to regulate Wnt palmitoylation, trafficking, secretion, and signaling. We first investigated possible interactions between PORCN, WLS, and WNT1, by carrying out co-immunoprecipitation studies. These studies demonstrate the existence of a complex containing PORCN and WLS. They further show that PORCN and WLS compete for binding to WNT1. Then, we used gain-of-function studies to investigate the cooperation between PORCN and WLS as well as possible biochemical interactions between PORCN, WLS, and WNT1. Consistent with the proposed roles for PORCN and WLS, we show that overexpression of PORCN promotes palmitoylation of WNT1 while overexpression of WLS does not. Overexpression of PORCN enhances the ability of WLS to promote WNT1 trafficking to the cell surface as well as secretion, but decreases the ability of WLS to activate WNT1 signaling in target cell. These observations suggest that the levels of WNT1 on the cell surface and in the media are not the sole determinants of the activation of Wnt signaling in target cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Galli
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Navid Zebarjadi
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Lydia Li
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | | | - Laura W Burrus
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA.
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25
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Kaemmerer E, Gassler N. Wnt Lipidation and Modifiers in Intestinal Carcinogenesis and Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2016; 8:E69. [PMID: 27438855 PMCID: PMC4963811 DOI: 10.3390/cancers8070069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Revised: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The wingless (Wnt) signaling is suggested as a fundamental hierarchical pathway in regulation of proliferation and differentiation of cells. The Wnt ligands are small proteins of about 40 kDa essentially for regulation and initiation of the Wnt activity. They are secreted proteins requiring acylation for activity in the Wnt signaling cascade and for functional interactivity with transmembrane proteins. Dual lipidation is important for posttranslational activation of the overwhelming number of Wnt proteins and is probably involved in their spatial distribution. The intestinal mucosa, where Wnt signaling is essential in configuration and maintenance, is an established model to study Wnt proteins and their role in carcinogenesis and cancer. The intestinal crypt-villus/crypt-plateau axis, a cellular system with self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation, is tightly coordinated by a Wnt gradient. In the review, some attention is given to Wnt3, Wnt3A, and Wnt2B as important members of the Wnt family to address the role of lipidation and modifiers of Wnt proteins in intestinal carcinogenesis. Wnt3 is an important player in establishing the Wnt gradient in intestinal crypts and is mainly produced by Paneth cells. Wnt2B is characterized as a mitochondrial protein and shuttles between mitochondria and the nucleus. Porcupine and ACSL5, a long-chain fatty acid activating enzyme, are introduced as modifiers of Wnts and as interesting strategy to targeting Wnt-driven carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Kaemmerer
- Institute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen 52074, Germany.
- Department of Pediatrics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen 52074, Germany.
| | - Nikolaus Gassler
- Institute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen 52074, Germany.
- Institute of Pathology, Klinikum Braunschweig, Braunschweig 38114, Germany.
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Langton PF, Kakugawa S, Vincent JP. Making, Exporting, and Modulating Wnts. Trends Cell Biol 2016; 26:756-765. [PMID: 27325141 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2016.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 05/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/20/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Wnt proteins activate a conserved signalling pathway that controls development and tissue homeostasis in all metazoans. The intensity of Wnt signalling must be tightly controlled to avoid diseases caused by excess or ectopic signalling. Over the years, many proteins dedicated to Wnt function have been identified, including Porcupine, which appends a palmitoleate moiety that is essential for signalling activity. This lipid inevitably affects subcellular trafficking and solubility, as well as providing a target for post-translational modulation. We review here the life history of Wnts, starting with progression through the secretory pathway, continuing with release and spread in the extracellular space, and finishing with the various proteins that dampen or inactivate Wnts in the extracellular space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul F Langton
- The Henry Wellcome Integrated Signalling Laboratories, School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Satoshi Kakugawa
- Hakuhodo Medical Inc., 6-1-20 Akasaka Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052, Japan
| | - Jean-Paul Vincent
- The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, London NW7 1AA, UK.
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27
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Rochard L, Monica SD, Ling ITC, Kong Y, Roberson S, Harland R, Halpern M, Liao EC. Roles of Wnt pathway genes wls, wnt9a, wnt5b, frzb and gpc4 in regulating convergent-extension during zebrafish palate morphogenesis. Development 2016; 143:2541-7. [PMID: 27287801 DOI: 10.1242/dev.137000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The Wnt signaling pathway is crucial for tissue morphogenesis, participating in cellular behavior changes, notably during the process of convergent-extension. Interactions between Wnt-secreting and receiving cells during convergent-extension remain elusive. We investigated the role and genetic interactions of Wnt ligands and their trafficking factors Wls, Gpc4 and Frzb in the context of palate morphogenesis in zebrafish. We describe that the chaperon Wls and its ligands Wnt9a and Wnt5b are expressed in the ectoderm, whereas juxtaposed chondrocytes express Frzb and Gpc4. Using wls, gpc4, frzb, wnt9a and wnt5b mutants, we genetically dissected the Wnt signals operating between secreting ectoderm and receiving chondrocytes. Our analysis delineates that non-canonical Wnt signaling is required for cell intercalation, and that wnt5b and wnt9a are required for palate extension in the anteroposterior and transverse axes, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Rochard
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Stefanie D Monica
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Irving T C Ling
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Yawei Kong
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Sara Roberson
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, and Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3520 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Richard Harland
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Marnie Halpern
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, and Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3520 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Eric C Liao
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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Abstract
Wnt signaling has emerged in recent years as a major player in both nervous system development and adult synaptic plasticity. Of particular relevance to researchers studying learning and memory, Wnt signaling is critical for normal functioning of the hippocampus, a brain region that is essential for many types of memory formation and whose dysfunction is implicated in numerous neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions. Impaired hippocampal Wnt signaling is implicated in several of these conditions, however, little is known about how Wnt signaling mediates hippocampal memory formation. This review will provide a general overview of Wnt signaling and discuss evidence demonstrating a key role for Wnt signaling in hippocampal memory formation in both normal and disease states. The regulation of Wnt signaling by ovarian sex steroid hormones will also be highlighted, given that the neuroprotection afforded by Wnt-hormone interactions may have significant implications for cognitive function in aging, neurodegenerative disease, and ischemic injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M Fortress
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, USA
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29
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Wnt9A Induction Linked to Suppression of Human Colorectal Cancer Cell Proliferation. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:495. [PMID: 27049382 PMCID: PMC4848951 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17040495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Revised: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/28/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Most studies of Wnt signaling in malignant tissues have focused on the canonical Wnt pathway (CWP) due to its role in stimulating cellular proliferation. The role of the non-canonical Wnt pathway (NCWP) in tissues with dysregulated Wnt signaling is not fully understood. Understanding NCWP’s role is important since these opposing pathways act in concert to maintain homeostasis in healthy tissues. Our preliminary studies demonstrated that LiCl inhibited proliferation of primary cells derived from colorectal cancer (CRC). Since LiCl stimulates cell proliferation in normal tissues and NCWP suppresses it, the present study was designed to investigate the impact of NCWP components in LiCl-mediated effects. LiCl-mediated inhibition of CRC cell proliferation (p < 0.001) and increased apoptosis (p < 0.01) coincided with 23-fold increase (p < 0.025) in the expression of the NCWP ligand, Wnt9A. LiCl also suppressed β-catenin mRNA (p < 0.03), total β-catenin protein (p < 0.025) and the active form of β-catenin. LiCl-mediated inhibition of CRC cell proliferation was partially reversed by IWP-2, and Wnt9A antibody. Recombinant Wnt9A protein emulated LiCl effects by suppressing β-catenin protein (p < 0.001), inhibiting proliferation (p < 0.001) and increasing apoptosis (p < 0.03). This is the first study to demonstrate induction of a NCWP ligand, Wnt9A as part of a mechanism for LiCl-mediated suppression of CRC cell proliferation.
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Gregorieff A, Wrana JL. Seeing is believing: Wnt3 localization in the gut epithelium. Cell Res 2016; 26:515-6. [PMID: 27012467 DOI: 10.1038/cr.2016.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt morphogens are notoriously elusive proteins. Thanks to a recent study published in Nature, Clevers and colleagues give us a first glimpse of a mammalian Wnt in action in the gut epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Gregorieff
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health System, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Jeffrey L Wrana
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health System, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X5, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
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Vergés M. Retromer in Polarized Protein Transport. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 323:129-79. [PMID: 26944621 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2015.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Retromer is an evolutionary conserved protein complex required for endosome-to-Golgi retrieval of receptors for lysosomal hydrolases. It is constituted by a heterotrimer encoded by the vacuolar protein sorting (VPS) gene products Vps26, Vps35, and Vps29, which selects cargo, and a dimer of phosphoinositide-binding sorting nexins, which deforms the membrane. Recent progress in the mechanism of retromer assembly and functioning has strengthened the link between sorting at the endosome and cytoskeleton dynamics. Retromer is implicated in endosomal sorting of many cargos and plays an essential role in plant and animal development. Although it is best known for endosome sorting to the trans-Golgi network, it also intervenes in recycling to the plasma membrane. In polarized cells, such as epithelial cells and neurons, retromer may also be utilized for transcytosis and long-range transport. Considerable evidence implicates retromer in establishment and maintenance of cell polarity. That includes sorting of the apical polarity module Crumbs; regulation of retromer function by the basolateral polarity module Scribble; and retromer-dependent recycling of various cargoes to a certain surface domain, thus controlling polarized location and cell homeostasis. Importantly, altered retromer function has been linked to neurodegeneration, such as in Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. This review will underline how alterations in retromer localization and function may affect polarized protein transport and polarity establishment, thereby causing developmental defects and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Vergés
- Cardiovascular Genetics Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain; Medical Sciences Department, University of Girona, Girona, Spain.
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32
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Fatty acyl donor selectivity in membrane bound O-acyltransferases and communal cell fate decision-making. Biochem Soc Trans 2016; 43:235-9. [PMID: 25849923 DOI: 10.1042/bst20140282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The post-translational modification of proteins with lipid moieties confers spatial and temporal control of protein function by restricting their subcellular distribution or movement in the extracellular milieu. Yet, little is known about the significance of lipid selectivity to the activity of proteins targeted for such modifications. Membrane bound O-acyl transferases (MBOATs) are a superfamily of multipass enzymes that transfer fatty acids on to lipid or protein substrates. Three MBOATs constitute a subfamily with secreted signalling molecules for substrates, the Wnt, Hedgehog (Hh) and Ghrelin proteins. Given their important roles in adult tissue homoeostasis, all three molecules and their respective associated acyltransferases provide a framework for interrogating the role of extracellular acylation events in cell-to-cell communication. Here, we discuss how the preference for a fatty acyl donor in the Wnt acyltransferase porcupine (Porcn) and possibly in other protein lipidation enzymes may provide a means for coupling metabolic health at the single cell level to communal cell fate decision-making in complex multicellular organisms.
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Wu BT, Wen SH, Hwang SPL, Huang CJ, Kuan YS. Control of Wnt5b secretion by Wntless modulates chondrogenic cell proliferation through fine-tuning fgf3 expression. J Cell Sci 2015; 128:2328-39. [PMID: 25934698 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.167403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 04/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Wnts and Fgfs regulate various tissues development in vertebrates. However, how regional Wnt or Fgf activities are established and how they interact in any given developmental event is elusive. Here, we investigated the Wnt-mediated craniofacial cartilage development in zebrafish and found that fgf3 expression in the pharyngeal pouches is differentially reduced along the anteroposterior axis in wnt5b mutants and wntless (wls) morphants, but its expression is normal in wnt9a and wnt11 morphants. Introducing fgf3 mRNAs rescued the cartilage defects in Wnt5b- and Wls-deficient larvae. In wls morphants, endogenous Wls expression is not detectable but maternally deposited Wls is present in eggs, which might account for the lack of axis defects in wls morphants. Secretion of endogenous Wnt5b but not Wnt11 was affected in the pharyngeal tissue of Wls morphants, indicating that Wls is not involved in every Wnt secretion event. Furthermore, cell proliferation but not apoptosis in the developing jaw was affected in Wnt5b- and Wls-deficient embryos. Therefore, Wnt5b requires Wls for its secretion and regulates the proliferation of chondrogenic cells through fine-tuning the expression of fgf3 during jaw cartilage development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Tsung Wu
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Hsien Wen
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Ping L Hwang
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Chang-Jen Huang
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Shu Kuan
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan Center for System Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
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Song L, Li Y, He B, Gong Y. Development of Small Molecules Targeting the Wnt Signaling Pathway in Cancer Stem Cells for the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer. Clin Colorectal Cancer 2015; 14:133-45. [PMID: 25799881 DOI: 10.1016/j.clcc.2015.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2014] [Revised: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) was ranked third in morbidity and mortality in the United States in 2013. Although substantial progress has been made in surgical techniques and postoperative chemotherapy in recent years, the prognosis for colon cancer is still not satisfactory, mainly because of cancer recurrence and metastasis. The latest studies have shown that cancer stem cells (CSCs) play important roles in cancer recurrence and metastasis. Drugs that target CSCs might therefore have great therapeutic potential in prevention of cancer recurrence and metastasis. The wingless-int (Wnt) signaling pathway in CSCs has been suggested to play crucial roles in colorectal carcinogenesis, and has become a popular target for anti-CRC therapy. Dysregulation of the Wnt signaling pathway, mostly by inactivating mutations of the adenomatous polyposis coli tumor suppressor or oncogenic mutations of β-catenin, has been implicated as a key factor in colorectal tumorigenesis. Abnormal increases of β-catenin levels represents a common pathway in Wnt signaling activation and is also observed in other human malignancies. These findings highlight the importance of developing small-molecule drugs that target the Wnt pathway. Herein we provide an overview on the current development of small molecules that target the Wnt pathway in colorectal CSCs and discuss future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lele Song
- Department of Radiotherapy, the PLA 309 Hospital, Beijing, China; BioChain (Beijing) Science and Technology, Inc, Beijing, China.
| | - Yuemin Li
- Department of Radiotherapy, the PLA 309 Hospital, Beijing, China.
| | - Baoming He
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, the PLA 309 Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Gong
- Department of Gastroenterology, the PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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35
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Miranda M, Galli LM, Enriquez M, Szabo LA, Gao X, Hannoush RN, Burrus LW. Identification of the WNT1 residues required for palmitoylation by Porcupine. FEBS Lett 2014; 588:4815-24. [PMID: 25451226 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2014.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2014] [Revised: 10/27/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The post-translational palmitoylation of WNT morphogens is critical for proper signaling during embryogenesis and adult homeostasis. The addition of palmitoyl groups to WNT proteins is catalyzed by Porcupine (PORCN). However, the Wnt amino acid residues required for recognition and palmitoylation by PORCN have not been fully characterized. We show that WNT1 residues 214-234 are sufficient for PORCN-dependent palmitoylation of Ser224. Substitution of Ser224 with Thr, but not Cys, is tolerated in palmitoylation and biological assays. Our data highlight the importance of palmitoylation for WNT1 activity and establish PORCN as an O-acyl transferase for WNT1.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Miranda
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - L M Galli
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - M Enriquez
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - L A Szabo
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - X Gao
- Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - R N Hannoush
- Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - L W Burrus
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA.
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36
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Chang YH, Sun YH. Carrier of Wingless (Cow), a secreted heparan sulfate proteoglycan, promotes extracellular transport of Wingless. PLoS One 2014; 9:e111573. [PMID: 25360738 PMCID: PMC4216105 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2014] [Accepted: 09/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphogens are signaling molecules that regulate growth and patterning during development by forming a gradient and activating different target genes at different concentrations. The extracellular distribution of morphogens is tightly regulated, with the Drosophila morphogen Wingless (Wg) relying on Dally-like (Dlp) and transcytosis for its distribution. However, in the absence of Dlp or endocytic activity, Wg can still move across cells along the apical (Ap) surface. We identified a novel secreted heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) that binds to Wg and promotes its extracellular distribution by increasing Wg mobility, which was thus named Carrier of Wg (Cow). Cow promotes the Ap transport of Wg, independent of Dlp and endocytosis, and this function addresses a previous gap in the understanding of Wg movement. This is the first example of a diffusible HSPG acting as a carrier to promote the extracellular movement of a morphogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Heng Chang
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yi Henry Sun
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
- * E-mail:
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Menck K, Klemm F, Gross JC, Pukrop T, Wenzel D, Binder C. Induction and transport of Wnt 5a during macrophage-induced malignant invasion is mediated by two types of extracellular vesicles. Oncotarget 2014; 4:2057-66. [PMID: 24185202 PMCID: PMC3875769 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.1336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, we have shown that macrophage (MΦ)-induced invasion of breast cancer cells requires upregulation of Wnt 5a in MΦ leading to activation of β-Catenin-independent Wnt signaling in the tumor cells. However, it remained unclear, how malignant cells induce Wnt 5a in MΦ and how it is transferred back to the cancer cells. Here we identify two types of extracellular particles as essential for this intercellular interaction in both directions. Plasma membrane-derived microvesicles (MV) as well as exosomes from breast cancer cells, although biologically distinct populations, both induce Wnt 5a in MΦ. In contrast, the particle-free supernatant and vesicles from benign cells, such as platelets, have no such effect. Induction is antagonized by the Wnt inhibitor Dickkopf-1. Subsequently, Wnt 5a is shuttled via responding MΦ-MV and exosomes to the tumor cells enhancing their invasion. Wnt 5a export on both vesicle fractions depends at least partially on the cargo protein Evenness interrupted (Evi). Its knockdown leads to Wnt 5a depletion of both particle populations and reduced vesicle-mediated invasion. In conclusion, MV and exosomes are critical for MΦ-induced invasion of cancer cells since they are responsible for upregulation of MΦ-Wnt 5a as well as for its delivery to the recipient cells via a reciprocal loop. Although of different biogenesis, both populations share common features regarding function and Evi-dependent secretion of non-canonical Wnts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Menck
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, University Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
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Mellado M, Cuartero Y, Brugada R, Verges M. Subcellular localisation of retromer in post-endocytic pathways of polarised Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Biol Cell 2014; 106:377-93. [PMID: 25081925 DOI: 10.1111/boc.201400011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND INFORMATION Retromer is required for endosome-to-Golgi retrieval of the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (CI-MPR), allowing delivery of hydrolases into lysosomes. It is constituted by a conserved heterotrimer formed by vacuolar protein sorting (Vps) gene products Vps26, Vps35 and Vps29, which is in charge of cargo selection, and a dimer of phosphoinositide-binding sorting nexins (SNXs), which has a structural role. Retromer has been implicated in sorting of additional cargo. Thus, retromer also promotes polymeric immunoglobulin A (pIgA) transcytosis by the pIgA receptor (pIgR) in polarised cells, and considerable evidence implicates retromer in controlling epithelial cell polarity. However, the precise localisation of retromer along the endocytic pathway of polarised cells has not been studied in detail. RESULTS Our biochemical analysis using rat liver endosome fractions suggests a distinct distribution pattern. Although subunits of the cargo-selective complex were enriched in early endosomes (EEs), levels of SNX2 were greater in sorting endosomes. We then immunolocalised the retromer subunits in polarised Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells by confocal microscopy. An estimated 25% of total Vps26 and SNX2 localised to EEs, with negligible portions in recycling endosomes as well as in late endosomes and lysosomes. Although Vps26 was in structures of more heterogeneous size and shape than SNX2, these markedly overlapped. In consequence, the two retromer subcomplexes mostly colocalised. When we analysed retromer overlap with its cargo, we found that structures retromer and pIgA(+) are independent of those structures retromer and CI-MPR(+) . Remarkably, retromer localised preferentially at the transcytotic pathway. Pharmacological inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase affected the co-distribution of retromer with pIgA and the CI-MPR, delaying pIgA progress to the apical surface. CONCLUSIONS In polarised MDCK cells, we found retromer associated with certain specialised EE-derived pathways. Our data imply that retromer is largely engaged in pIgA transcytosis in pIgR-expressing MDCK cells, as opposed to endosome-to-Golgi retrieval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maravillas Mellado
- Laboratory of Epithelial Cell Biology, Príncipe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), Valencia, 46012, Spain
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The role of Bro1- domain-containing protein Myopic in endosomal trafficking of Wnt/Wingless. Dev Biol 2014; 392:93-107. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2014] [Revised: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Smad1 transcription factor integrates BMP2 and Wnt3a signals in migrating cardiac progenitor cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:7337-42. [PMID: 24808138 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1321764111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In vertebrate embryos, cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) undergo long-range migration after emerging from the primitive streak during gastrulation. Together with other mesoderm progenitors, they migrate laterally and then toward the ventral midline, where they form the heart. Signals controlling the migration of different progenitor cell populations during gastrulation are poorly understood. Several pathways are involved in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and ingression of mesoderm cells through the primitive streak, including fibroblast growth factors and wingless-type family members (Wnt). Here we focus on early CPC migration and use live video microscopy in chicken embryos to demonstrate a role for bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)/SMA and MAD related (Smad) signaling. We identify an interaction of BMP and Wnt/glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) pathways via the differential phosphorylation of Smad1. Increased BMP2 activity altered migration trajectories of prospective cardiac cells and resulted in their lateral displacement and ectopic differentiation, as they failed to reach the ventral midline. Constitutively active BMP receptors or constitutively active Smad1 mimicked this phenotype, suggesting a cell autonomous response. Expression of GSK3β, which promotes the turnover of active Smad1, rescued the BMP-induced migration phenotype. Conversely, expression of GSK3β-resistant Smad1 resulted in aberrant CPC migration trajectories. De-repression of GSK3β by dominant negative Wnt3a restored normal migration patterns in the presence of high BMP activity. The data indicate the convergence of BMP and Wnt pathways on Smad1 during the early migration of prospective cardiac cells. Overall, we reveal molecular mechanisms that contribute to the emerging paradigm of signaling pathway integration in embryo development.
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Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is best known for its function as a structural scaffold for the tissue and more recently as a microenvironment to sequester growth factors and cytokines allowing for rapid and localized changes in their activity in the absence of new protein synthesis. In this review, we explore this and additional new aspects of ECM function in mediating cell-to-cell communications. Fibrillar and nonfibrillar components of ECM can limit and facilitate the transport of molecules through the extracellular space while also regulating interstitial hydrostatic pressure. In turn, transmembrane communications via molecules, such as ECM metalloproteinase inducer, thrombospondins, and integrins, can further mediate cell response to extracellular cues and affect ECM composition and tissue remodeling. Other means of cell-to-cell communication include extracellular microRNA transport and its contribution to gene expression in target cells and the nanotube formation between distant cells, which has recently emerged as a novel conduit for intercellular organelle sharing thereby influencing cell survival and function. The information summarized and discussed here are not limited to the cardiovascular ECM but encompass ECM in general with specific references to the cardiovascular system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Fan
- From the Department of Physiology, Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (D.F., Z.K.); and Heart Failure Research Center, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (E.E.C.)
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Schaale K, Brandenburg J, Kispert A, Leitges M, Ehlers S, Reiling N. Wnt6 Is Expressed in Granulomatous Lesions ofMycobacterium tuberculosis–Infected Mice and Is Involved in Macrophage Differentiation and Proliferation. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2013; 191:5182-95. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1201819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Martin A, Maher S, Summerhurst K, Davidson D, Murphy P. Differential deployment of paralogous Wnt genes in the mouse and chick embryo during development. Evol Dev 2013; 14:178-95. [PMID: 23017026 PMCID: PMC3498729 DOI: 10.1111/j.1525-142x.2012.00534.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Genes encoding Wnt ligands are crucial in body patterning and are highly conserved among metazoans. Given their conservation at the protein-coding level, it is likely that changes in where and when these genes are active are important in generating evolutionary variations. However, we lack detailed knowledge about how their deployment has diverged. Here, we focus on four Wnt subfamilies (Wnt2, Wnt5, Wnt7, and Wnt8) in mammalian and avian species, consisting of a paralogous gene pair in each, believed to have duplicated in the last common ancestor of vertebrates. We use three-dimensional imaging to capture expression patterns in detail and carry out systematic comparisons. We find evidence of greater divergence between these subgroup paralogues than the respective orthologues, consistent with some level of subfunctionalization/neofunctionalization in the common vertebrate ancestor that has been conserved. However, there were exceptions; in the case of chick Wnt2b, individual sites were shared with both mouse Wnt2 and Wnt2b. We also find greater divergence, between paralogues and orthologues, in some subfamilies (Wnt2 and Wnt8) compared to others (Wnt5 and Wnt7) with the more highly similar expression patterns showing more extensive expression in more structures in the embryo. Wnt8 genes were most restricted and most divergent. Major sites of expression for all subfamilies include CNS, limbs, and facial region, and in general there were more similarities in gene deployment in these territories with divergent patterns featuring more in organs such as heart and gut. A detailed comparison of gene expression patterns in the limb showed similarities in overall combined domains across species with notable differences that may relate to lineage-specific morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Martin
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
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44
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Gross JC, Chaudhary V, Bartscherer K, Boutros M. Active Wnt proteins are secreted on exosomes. Nat Cell Biol 2012; 14:1036-45. [PMID: 22983114 DOI: 10.1038/ncb2574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 736] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2012] [Accepted: 08/08/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Wnt signalling has important roles during development and in many diseases. As morphogens, hydrophobic Wnt proteins exert their function over a distance to induce patterning and cell differentiation decisions. Recent studies have identified several factors that are required for the secretion of Wnt proteins; however, how Wnts travel in the extracellular space remains a largely unresolved question. Here we show that Wnts are secreted on exosomes both during Drosophila development and in human cells. We demonstrate that exosomes carry Wnts on their surface to induce Wnt signalling activity in target cells. Together with the cargo receptor Evi/WIs, Wnts are transported through endosomal compartments onto exosomes, a process that requires the R-SNARE Ykt6. Our study demonstrates an evolutionarily conserved functional role of extracellular vesicular transport of Wnt proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Christina Gross
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division Signaling and Functional Genomics and Heidelberg University, Department for Cell and Molecular Biology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Proffitt KD, Virshup DM. Precise regulation of porcupine activity is required for physiological Wnt signaling. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:34167-78. [PMID: 22888000 PMCID: PMC3464525 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.381970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Gradients of diverse Wnt proteins regulate development, renewal, and differentiation. Porcupine (PORCN) is a membrane-bound O-acyltransferase that is required for post-translational modification of all Wnts to enable their transport, secretion, and activity. Mutations in PORCN are associated with focal dermal hypoplasia (FDH), whereas gene deletion causes embryonic lethality in mice. To study the protein in more detail, zinc finger nucleases were used to edit the PORCN genomic locus, establishing two HT1080 fibrosarcoma clones null for PORCN activity that facilitate the study of PORCN structure and function. We establish that PORCN is a key non-redundant node for the regulation of global Wnt signaling because PORCN null cells are completely incapable of autocrine Wnt signaling. The strength of Wnt signaling is exquisitely sensitive to PORCN expression, with a dynamic range of at least 3 orders of magnitude, suggesting that PORCN activity is a key modulator of all Wnt ligand activity. Consistent with this, we find that multiple FDH-associated mutants have only subtle alterations in enzyme activity yet are associated with a severe FDH phenotype. These studies support an essential regulatory role of PORCN in shaping Wnt signaling gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle D Proffitt
- Program in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, 8 College Road, 169857 Singapore
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46
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Maina JN. Comparative molecular developmental aspects of the mammalian- and the avian lungs, and the insectan tracheal system by branching morphogenesis: recent advances and future directions. Front Zool 2012; 9:16. [PMID: 22871018 PMCID: PMC3502106 DOI: 10.1186/1742-9994-9-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2012] [Accepted: 06/18/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Gas exchangers fundamentally form by branching morphogenesis (BM), a mechanistically profoundly complex process which derives from coherent expression and regulation of multiple genes that direct cell-to-cell interactions, differentiation, and movements by signaling of various molecular morphogenetic cues at specific times and particular places in the developing organ. Coordinated expression of growth-instructing factors determines sizes and sites where bifurcation occurs, by how much a part elongates before it divides, and the angle at which branching occurs. BM is essentially induced by dualities of factors where through feedback- or feed forward loops agonists/antagonists are activated or repressed. The intricate transactions between the development orchestrating molecular factors determine the ultimate phenotype. From the primeval time when the transformation of unicellular organisms to multicellular ones occurred by systematic accretion of cells, BM has been perpetually conserved. Canonical signalling, transcriptional pathways, and other instructive molecular factors are commonly employed within and across species, tissues, and stages of development. While much still remain to be elucidated and some of what has been reported corroborated and reconciled with rest of existing data, notable progress has in recent times been made in understanding the mechanism of BM. By identifying and characterizing the morphogenetic drivers, and markers and their regulatory dynamics, the elemental underpinnings of BM have been more precisely explained. Broadening these insights will allow more effective diagnostic and therapeutic interventions of developmental abnormalities and pathologies in pre- and postnatal lungs. Conservation of the molecular factors which are involved in the development of the lung (and other branched organs) is a classic example of nature's astuteness in economically utilizing finite resources. Once purposefully formed, well-tested and tried ways and means are adopted, preserved, and widely used to engineer the most optimal phenotypes. The material and time costs of developing utterly new instruments and routines with every drastic biological change (e.g. adaptation and speciation) are circumvented. This should assure the best possible structures and therefore functions, ensuring survival and evolutionary success.
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Affiliation(s)
- John N Maina
- Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, P,O, Box 524, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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Meinhardt H. Turing's theory of morphogenesis of 1952 and the subsequent discovery of the crucial role of local self-enhancement and long-range inhibition. Interface Focus 2012; 2:407-16. [PMID: 23919125 PMCID: PMC3363033 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2011.0097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2011] [Accepted: 01/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In his pioneering work, Alan Turing showed that de novo pattern formation is possible if two substances interact that differ in their diffusion range. Since then, we have shown that pattern formation is possible if, and only if, a self-enhancing reaction is coupled with an antagonistic process of longer range. Knowing this crucial condition has enabled us to include nonlinear interactions, which are required to design molecularly realistic interactions. Different reaction schemes and their relation to Turing's proposal are discussed and compared with more recent observations on the molecular-genetic level. The antagonistic reaction may be accomplished by an inhibitor that is produced in the activated region or by a depletion of a component that is used up during the self-enhancing reaction. The autocatalysis may be realized by an inhibition of an inhibition. Activating molecules can be processed into molecules that have an inhibiting function; patterning of the Wnt pathway is proposed to depend on such a mechanism. Three-component systems, as discussed in Turing's paper, are shown to play a major role in the generation of highly dynamic patterns that never reach a stable state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Meinhardt
- Max Planck Institut für Entwicklungsbiologie, Spemannstrasse 35, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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Abstract
Wnt genes are important regulators of embryogenesis and cell differentiation in vertebrates and insects. New data revealed by comparative genomics have now shown that members of the Wnt signaling pathway can be found in all clades of metazoans, but not in fungi, plants, or unicellular eukaryotes. This article focuses on new data from recent genomic analyses of several basal metazoan organisms, providing evidence that the Wnt pathway was a primordial signaling pathway during evolution. The formation of a Wnt signaling center at the site of gastrulation was instrumental for the formation of a primary, anterior-posterior body axis, which can be traced throughout animal evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W Holstein
- Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
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Dodge ME, Moon J, Tuladhar R, Lu J, Jacob LS, Zhang LS, Shi H, Wang X, Moro E, Mongera A, Argenton F, Karner CM, Carroll TJ, Chen C, Amatruda JF, Lum L. Diverse chemical scaffolds support direct inhibition of the membrane-bound O-acyltransferase porcupine. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:23246-54. [PMID: 22593577 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.372029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Secreted Wnt proteins constitute one of the largest families of intercellular signaling molecules in vertebrates with essential roles in embryonic development and adult tissue homeostasis. The functional redundancy of Wnt genes and the many forms of cellular responses they elicit, including some utilizing the transcriptional co-activator β-catenin, has limited the ability of classical genetic strategies to uncover their roles in vivo. We had previously identified a chemical compound class termed Inhibitor of Wnt Production (or IWP) that targets Porcupine (Porcn), an acyltransferase catalyzing the addition of fatty acid adducts onto Wnt proteins. Here we demonstrate that diverse chemical structures are able to inhibit Porcn by targeting its putative active site. When deployed in concert with small molecules that modulate the activity of Tankyrase enzymes and glycogen synthase kinase 3 β (GSK3β), additional transducers of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, the IWP compounds reveal an essential role for Wnt protein fatty acylation in eliciting β-catenin-dependent and -independent forms of Wnt signaling during zebrafish development. This collection of small molecules facilitates rapid dissection of Wnt gene function in vivo by limiting the influence of redundant Wnt gene functions on phenotypic outcomes and enables temporal manipulation of Wnt-mediated signaling in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Dodge
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
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Holzer T, Liffers K, Rahm K, Trageser B, Ozbek S, Gradl D. Live imaging of active fluorophore labelled Wnt proteins. FEBS Lett 2012; 586:1638-44. [PMID: 22554900 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2012.04.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2012] [Accepted: 04/18/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
For almost 30 years, Wnt proteins have been known as key regulators of many developmental decisions, including the formation of the embryonic axes, patterning of the CNS, limb bud outgrowth and segment polarity. However, live cell imaging of active Wnt proteins was rarely reported. Here, we have generated a Wnt2b-EGFP fusion protein that retains functionality in bona fide Wnt activity assays, although the secreted protein is rapidly cleaved by extracellular proteases. We can show with this new tool that Wnt2b-EGFP moves along the microtubules of Wnt producing cells and that this directed movement is essential for the secretion of active Wnt protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Holzer
- Zoological Institute II, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, D-76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
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