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Ahmad MH, Ghosh B, Rizvi MA, Ali M, Kaur L, Mondal AC. Neural crest cells development and neuroblastoma progression: Role of Wnt signaling. J Cell Physiol 2023; 238:306-328. [PMID: 36502519 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most common heterogeneous extracranial cancers in infancy that arises from neural crest (NC) cells of the sympathetic nervous system. The Wnt signaling pathway, both canonical and noncanonical pathway, is a highly conserved signaling pathway that regulates the development and differentiation of the NC cells during embryogenesis. Reports suggest that aberrant activation of Wnt ligands/receptors in Wnt signaling pathways promote progression and relapse of NB. Wnt signaling pathways regulate NC induction and migration in a similar manner; it regulates proliferation and metastasis of NB. Inhibiting the Wnt signaling pathway or its ligands/receptors induces apoptosis and abrogates proliferation and tumorigenicity in all major types of NB cells. Here, we comprehensively discuss the Wnt signaling pathway and its mechanisms in regulating the development of NC and NB pathogenesis. This review highlights the implications of aberrant Wnt signaling in the context of etiology, progression, and relapse of NB. We have also described emerging strategies for Wnt-based therapies against the progression of NB that will provide new insights into the development of Wnt-based therapeutic strategies for NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mir Hilal Ahmad
- School of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.,Genome Biology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Balaram Ghosh
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Midnapore Medical College & Hospital, West Bengal, Medinipur, India
| | - Moshahid Alam Rizvi
- Genome Biology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Mansoor Ali
- School of Life Sciences, Cancer Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Loveleena Kaur
- Division of Cancer Pharmacology, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Srinagar, India
| | - Amal Chandra Mondal
- School of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
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2
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Hu X, Wang L, He Y, Wei M, Yan H, Zhu H. Chlorogenic Acid Promotes Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells Through Wnt Signaling. Stem Cells Dev 2021; 30:641-650. [PMID: 33789447 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2020.0193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Periodontal disease (PD) is one of the main causes of periodontal bone resorption and tooth loss in adults. How to repair the alveolar bone effectively has always been a challenge. This study was designed to clarify the effects and the underlying molecular mechanisms of chlorogenic acid (CGA) on osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). In this study, we used CGA to treat hDPSCs. The osteogenic experiment showed that CGA can promote hDPSCs osteogenic differentiation. RNA-Seq and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that CGA treatment enhanced the expression of the osteogenesis genes for frizzled-related protein (FRZB) and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) and inhibit the expression of the osteoclastogenesis genes such as those for asporin (ASPN) and cytokine-like 1 (CYTL1). Western blot analysis showed that besides FRZB, CGA treatment also caused reduction of both active and total β-catenin, while increased the total calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CamKII), the phosphorylated CamKII (pCamKII) and the phosphorylated cAMP-response element-binding protein (pCREB). Likely, the increased osteogenesis was associated with reduced canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling but increased noncanonical Wnt/Ca2+ signaling. The results suggested that CGA can promote the osteogenic differentiation of hDPSCs by regulating Wnt signaling. These findings will serve as a foundation for further studies on how to repair defective alveolar bone for the patients with PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Hu
- The Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, P.R. China
| | - Li Wang
- Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, P.R. China
| | - Yuanqiao He
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, P.R. China.,Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Animal Nanchang Royo Biotech Co., Ltd., Nanchang, P.R. China
| | - Minli Wei
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Physiology and Pathology in Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, P.R. China
| | - Huilin Yan
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Physiology and Pathology in Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, P.R. China
| | - Hongshui Zhu
- The Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, P.R. China
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3
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Wnt Signaling in Neural Crest Ontogenesis and Oncogenesis. Cells 2019; 8:cells8101173. [PMID: 31569501 PMCID: PMC6829301 DOI: 10.3390/cells8101173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural crest (NC) cells are a temporary population of multipotent stem cells that generate a diverse array of cell types, including craniofacial bone and cartilage, smooth muscle cells, melanocytes, and peripheral neurons and glia during embryonic development. Defective neural crest development can cause severe and common structural birth defects, such as craniofacial anomalies and congenital heart disease. In the early vertebrate embryos, NC cells emerge from the dorsal edge of the neural tube during neurulation and then migrate extensively throughout the anterior-posterior body axis to generate numerous derivatives. Wnt signaling plays essential roles in embryonic development and cancer. This review summarizes current understanding of Wnt signaling in NC cell induction, delamination, migration, multipotency, and fate determination, as well as in NC-derived cancers.
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Gere-Becker MB, Pommerenke C, Lingner T, Pieler T. Retinoic acid-induced expression of Hnf1b and Fzd4 is required for pancreas development in Xenopus laevis. Development 2018; 145:dev.161372. [PMID: 29769220 PMCID: PMC6031401 DOI: 10.1242/dev.161372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Retinoic acid (RA) is required for pancreas specification in Xenopus and other vertebrates. However, the gene network that is directly induced by RA signalling in this context remains to be defined. By RNA sequencing of in vitro-generated pancreatic explants, we identified the genes encoding the transcription factor Hnf1β and the Wnt-receptor Fzd4/Fzd4s as direct RA target genes. Functional analyses of Hnf1b and Fzd4/Fzd4s in programmed pancreatic explants and whole embryos revealed their requirement for pancreatic progenitor formation and differentiation. Thus, Hnf1β and Fzd4/Fzd4s appear to be involved in pre-patterning events of the embryonic endoderm that allow pancreas formation in Xenopus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja B Gere-Becker
- Department of Developmental Biochemistry, University of Goettingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Pommerenke
- Department of Developmental Biochemistry, University of Goettingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077 Goettingen, Germany.,Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Inhoffenstrasse 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Thomas Lingner
- Department of Developmental Biochemistry, University of Goettingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077 Goettingen, Germany.,Genevention GmbH, Rudolf-Wissel-Str. 28, 37079 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Tomas Pieler
- Department of Developmental Biochemistry, University of Goettingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
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5
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Monteagudo S, Lories RJ. Cushioning the cartilage: a canonical Wnt restricting matter. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2017; 13:670-681. [PMID: 29021569 DOI: 10.1038/nrrheum.2017.171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Wnt signalling pathways have key roles in joint development, homeostasis and disease, particularly in osteoarthritis. New data is starting to reveal the importance of tightly regulating canonical Wnt signalling pathway activation to maintain homeostasis and health in articular cartilage. In addition to the presence of different Wnt antagonists that limit pathway activation in articular cartilage, the reciprocal crosstalk between the canonical and non-canonical cascades and competitive antagonism between different Wnt ligands seem to be critical in restraining excessive Wnt pathway activation. Changes in transcriptional complex assembly upon Wnt pathway activation, epigenetic modulation of target gene transcription, in particular through histone modifications, and complex interactions between the Wnt signalling pathway and other signalling pathways, are also instrumental in adjusting Wnt signalling. In this Review, the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in fine-tuning canonical Wnt signalling in the joint are updated, with a focus on the articular cartilage. The interventions for preventing or treating osteoarthritis are also discussed, which should aim to limit disease-associated excessive canonical Wnt activity to avoid joint damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Monteagudo
- Laboratory for Tissue Homeostasis and Disease, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Centre, Department of Development and Regeneration, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rik J Lories
- Laboratory for Tissue Homeostasis and Disease, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Centre, Department of Development and Regeneration, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Division of Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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6
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Kumar R, Ciprianidis A, Theiß S, Steinbeißer H, Kaufmann LT. Nemo-like kinase 1 (Nlk1) and paraxial protocadherin (PAPC) cooperatively control Xenopus gastrulation through regulation of Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling. Differentiation 2016; 93:27-38. [PMID: 27875771 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2016.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Revised: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway directs cell migration during vertebrate gastrulation and is essential for proper embryonic development. Paraxial protocadherin (PAPC, Gene Symbol pcdh8.2) is an important activator of Wnt/PCP signaling during Xenopus gastrulation, but how PAPC activity is controlled is incompletely understood. Here we show that Nemo-like kinase 1 (Nlk1), an atypical mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, physically associates with the C-terminus of PAPC. This interaction mutually stabilizes both proteins by inhibiting polyubiquitination. The Nlk1 mediated stabilization of PAPC is essential for Wnt/PCP signaling, tissue separation and gastrulation movements. We identified two conserved putative phosphorylation sites in the PAPC C-terminus that are critical for Nlk1 mediated PAPC stabilization and Wnt/PCP regulation. Intriguingly, the kinase activity of Nlk1 itself was not essential for its cooperation with PAPC, suggesting an indirect regulation for example by impeding a different kinase that promotes protein degradation. Overall these results outline a novel, kinase independent role of Nlk1, wherein Nlk1 regulates PAPC stabilization and thereby controls gastrulation movements and Wnt/PCP signaling during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Kumar
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anja Ciprianidis
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Susanne Theiß
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Herbert Steinbeißer
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lilian T Kaufmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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7
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Osteogenesis induced by frizzled-related protein (FRZB) is linked to the netrin-like domain. J Transl Med 2016; 96:570-80. [PMID: 26927515 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2016.38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2014] [Revised: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal Wnt signaling is associated with bone mass disorders. Frizzled-related protein (FRZB, also known as secreted frizzled-related protein-3 (SFRP3)) is a Wnt modulator that contains an amino-terminal cysteine-rich domain (CRD) and a carboxy-terminal Netrin-like (NTN) motif. Frzb(-/-) mice show increased cortical thickness. However, the direct effect of FRZB on osteogenic differentiation and the involvement of the structural domains herein are not fully understood. In this study, we observed that stable overexpression of Frzb in MC3T3-E1 cells increased calcium deposition and osteoblast markers compared with control. Western blot analysis showed that the increased osteogenesis was associated with reduced canonical, but increased non-canonical Wnt signaling. On the contrary, loss of Frzb induced the opposite effects on osteogenesis and Wnt signaling. To translationally validate the positive effects of FRZB on primary human cells, we treated human periosteal and human bone marrow stromal cells with conditioned medium from MC3T3-E1 cells overexpressing Frzb and observed an increase in Alizarin red staining. We further studied the effect of the domains. FrzbNTN overexpression induced similar effects on osteogenesis as full-length Frzb, whereas FrzbCRD overexpressing cells mimicked loss of Frzb experiments. The CRD is considered as the Wnt binding domain, but the NTN domain also has important effects on bone biology. FRZB and other SFRPs or their specific domains may hold surprising potential as therapeutics for bone and joint disorders considering that excess of SFRPs has effects that are not expected under physiological, endogenous expression conditions.
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8
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
Wnt signaling regulates a broad variety of processes during embryonic development and disease. A hallmark of the Wnt signaling pathway is the formation of concentration gradients by Wnt proteins across responsive tissues, which determines cell fate in invertebrates and vertebrates. To fulfill its paracrine function, trafficking of the Wnt morphogen from an origin cell to a recipient cell must be tightly regulated. A variety of models have been proposed to explain the extracellular transport of these lipid-modified signaling proteins in the aqueous extracellular space; however, there is still considerable debate with regard to which mechanisms allow the precise distribution of ligand in order to generate a morphogenetic gradient within growing tissue. Recent evidence suggests that Wnt proteins are distributed along signaling filopodia during vertebrate and invertebrate embryogenesis. Cytoneme-mediated transport has profound impact on our understanding of how Wnt signaling propagates through tissues and allows the formation of a precise ligand distribution in the recipient tissue during embryonic growth. In this Commentary, we review extracellular trafficking mechanisms for Wnt proteins and discuss the growing evidence of cytoneme-based Wnt distribution in development and stem cell biology. We will also discuss their implication for Wnt signaling in the formation of the Wnt morphogenetic gradient during tissue patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana Stanganello
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), Karlsruhe 76021, Germany
| | - Steffen Scholpp
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), Karlsruhe 76021, Germany
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9
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Abbruzzese G, Gorny AK, Kaufmann LT, Cousin H, Kleino I, Steinbeisser H, Alfandari D. The Wnt receptor Frizzled-4 modulates ADAM13 metalloprotease activity. J Cell Sci 2015; 128:1139-49. [PMID: 25616895 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.163063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cranial neural crest (CNC) cells are a transient population of stem cells that originate at the border of the neural plate and the epidermis, and migrate ventrally to contribute to most of the facial structures including bones, cartilage, muscles and ganglia. ADAM13 is a cell surface metalloprotease that is essential for CNC cell migration. Here, we show in Xenopus laevis embryos that the Wnt receptor Fz4 binds to the cysteine-rich domain of ADAM13 and negatively regulates its proteolytic activity in vivo. Gain of Fz4 function inhibits CNC cell migration and can be rescued by gain of ADAM13 function. Loss of Fz4 function also inhibits CNC cell migration and induces a reduction of mature ADAM13, together with an increase in the ADAM13 cytoplasmic fragment that is known to translocate into the nucleus to regulate gene expression. We propose that Fz4 associates with ADAM13 during its transport to the plasma membrane to regulate its proteolytic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genevieve Abbruzzese
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Anne-Kathrin Gorny
- Section Developmental Genetics, Institute of Human Genetics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, Heidelberg D-69120, Germany
| | - Lilian T Kaufmann
- Section Developmental Genetics, Institute of Human Genetics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, Heidelberg D-69120, Germany
| | - Hélène Cousin
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Iivari Kleino
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Herbert Steinbeisser
- Section Developmental Genetics, Institute of Human Genetics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, Heidelberg D-69120, Germany
| | - Dominique Alfandari
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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10
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Miao CG, Yang YY, He X, Huang C, Huang Y, Qin D, Du CL, Li J. MicroRNA-152 modulates the canonical Wnt pathway activation by targeting DNA methyltransferase 1 in arthritic rat model. Biochimie 2014; 106:149-56. [PMID: 25194984 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2014.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune and progressive systemic disease of unknown etiology. Research shows that fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) participate in the cartilage erosion, synovial hyperplasia, inflammatory cytokine secretion and suggests that fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) display a crucial role in RA pathogenesis. Recent studies have suggested the role of the Wnt signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of RA. In previous study, we identified that increased methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) reduced the secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (SFRP4) expression in FLS in Arthritic rat model and the DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-azadC) could induce the SFRP4 expression, indicating that DNMT has a key role in the differential expression of SFRP4. MicroRNAs (MiRNAs), which are small non-coding RNAs, are involved in diverse biological functions, regulation of gene expression, pathogenesis of autoimmune disease and carcinogenesis. In light of the directly down-regulation of miR-152 on DNMT1 expression by targeting the 3' untranslated regions of its transcript in nickel sulfide (NiS)-transformed human bronchial epithelial cells, we investigated whether miR-152 is aberrantly expressed and targets DNMT1 in FLS in Arthritic rat model. Our results demonstrated that the expression of miR-152 was specifically down-regulated in Arthritic rat model, whereas up-regulation of miR-152 in FLS resulted in a marked reduction of DNMT1 expression. Further experiments revealed that increased miR-152 indirectly up-regulated the SFRP4 expression, a negative regulator of WNT signaling pathway, by targeting the DNMT1. Moreover, activation of miR-152 expression in FLS could inhibit the canonical Wnt pathway activation and result in a significant decrease of FLS proliferation. MiR-152 and DNA methylation may provide molecular mechanisms for the activation of canonical Wnt pathway in RA. Combination of miR-152 and DNMT1 may be a promising treatment strategy for RA patients in which SFRP4 is inactivated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Gui Miao
- School of Food and Drug, Anhui Key Laboratory of Poultry Epidemic Prevention and Surveillance, Anhui Science and Technology University, Bengbu 233100, China; School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Ying-Ying Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Xu He
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Cheng Huang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Yan Huang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Dan Qin
- School of Food and Drug, Anhui Key Laboratory of Poultry Epidemic Prevention and Surveillance, Anhui Science and Technology University, Bengbu 233100, China
| | - Chuan-Lai Du
- School of Food and Drug, Anhui Key Laboratory of Poultry Epidemic Prevention and Surveillance, Anhui Science and Technology University, Bengbu 233100, China
| | - Jun Li
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China.
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11
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Kumar S, Žigman M, Patel TR, Trageser B, Gross JC, Rahm K, Boutros M, Gradl D, Steinbeisser H, Holstein T, Stetefeld J, Özbek S. Molecular dissection of Wnt3a-Frizzled8 interaction reveals essential and modulatory determinants of Wnt signaling activity. BMC Biol 2014; 12:44. [PMID: 24885675 PMCID: PMC4068752 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7007-12-44] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 05/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wnt proteins are a family of secreted signaling molecules that regulate key developmental processes in metazoans. The molecular basis of Wnt binding to Frizzled and LRP5/6 co-receptors has long been unknown due to the lack of structural data on Wnt ligands. Only recently, the crystal structure of the Wnt8-Frizzled8-cysteine-rich-domain (CRD) complex was solved, but the significance of interaction sites that influence Wnt signaling has not been assessed. RESULTS Here, we present an extensive structure-function analysis of mouse Wnt3a in vitro and in vivo. We provide evidence for the essential role of serine 209, glycine 210 (site 1) and tryptophan 333 (site 2) in Fz binding. Importantly, we discovered that valine 337 in the site 2 binding loop is critical for signaling without contributing to binding. Mutations in the presumptive second CRD binding site (site 3) partly abolished Wnt binding. Intriguingly, most site 3 mutations increased Wnt signaling, probably by inhibiting Wnt-CRD oligomerization. In accordance, increasing amounts of soluble Frizzled8-CRD protein modulated Wnt3a signaling in a biphasic manner. CONCLUSIONS We propose a concentration-dependent switch in Wnt-CRD complex formation from an inactive aggregation state to an activated high mobility state as a possible modulatory mechanism in Wnt signaling gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Kumar
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 329, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mihaela Žigman
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 329, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Trushar R Patel
- Department of Chemistry, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Medical Genetics University of Manitoba, 144 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2 N2, Canada
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Benjamin Trageser
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 329, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julia Christina Gross
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics, Heidelberg University, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Karolin Rahm
- Zoological Institute, Cell and Developmental Biology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, D-76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Michael Boutros
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics, Heidelberg University, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dietmar Gradl
- Zoological Institute, Cell and Developmental Biology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, D-76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Herbert Steinbeisser
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Holstein
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 329, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jörg Stetefeld
- Department of Chemistry, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Medical Genetics University of Manitoba, 144 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2 N2, Canada
| | - Suat Özbek
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 329, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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12
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Robert N, Lhomond G, Schubert M, Croce JC. A comprehensive survey of wnt and frizzled expression in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Genesis 2014; 52:235-50. [PMID: 24550167 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.22754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2014] [Revised: 02/11/2014] [Accepted: 02/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
WNT signaling is, in all multicellular animals, an essential intercellular communication pathway that is critical for shaping the embryo. At the molecular level, WNT signals can be transmitted by several transduction cascades, all activated chiefly by the binding of WNT ligands to receptors of the FRIZZLED family. The first step in assessing the biological functions of WNT signaling during embryogenesis is thus the establishment of the spatiotemporal expression profiles of wnt and frizzled genes in the course of embryonic development. To this end, using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Northern blot, and in situ hybridization assays, we report here the comprehensive expression patterns of all 11 wnt and 4 frizzled genes present in the genome of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus during its embryogenesis. Our findings indicate that the expression of these wnt ligands and frizzled receptors is highly dynamic in both time and space. We further establish that all wnt genes are chiefly transcribed in the vegetal hemisphere of the embryo, whereas expression of the frizzled genes is distributed more widely across the embryonic territories. Thus, in P. lividus, WNT ligands might act both as short- and long-range signaling molecules that may operate in all cell lineages and tissues to control various developmental processes during embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Robert
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer, EvoInSiDe Team, Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche-sur-Mer, 06230, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France; CNRS, UMR7009, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer, EvoInSiDe Team, Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche-sur-Mer, 06230, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
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