Humans ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism ; Wnt Proteins ; metabolism ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; Wnt-5a Protein

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; Wnt Signaling Pathway

Tooth agenesis is the most common form of congenital craniofacial dysplasia seen in stomatology clinics, which may be caused by genetic and/or environmental factors. Tooth development is regulated by a series of signaling pathways, and variants in any of these strictly balanced signaling cascades can result in tooth agenesis and/or other oral defects. Notably, variants of genes of the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway are important cause for both non-syndromic and syndromic tooth agenesis. This article has provided a review for the molecular genetics of tooth agenesis associated with Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway, which may shed lights on the etiology and molecular mechanism of this disease.
Anodontia/genetics* ; Genetic Research ; Humans ; Tooth ; Wnt Proteins/genetics* ; Wnt Signaling Pathway/genetics*

Humans ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell ; metabolism ; Wnt Proteins ; metabolism ; Wnt Signaling Pathway

Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway has a close relationship with cancer and is abnormally activated in many human cancers. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide, but the molecular mechanisms of HCC are still poorly understood. Current studies indicate that Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a key role in the development and progression of HCC. Validating the role and mechanism of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in HCC will provide a theoretical basis for early diagnosis and treatment of HCC. In this review, we summarize the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in HCC and the progress of current researches.
Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; Wnt Proteins ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; beta Catenin

A number of studies have demonstrated that the methylation of Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) gene promoter is related with the occurrence and development of many neoplastic diseases. By means of binding with corresponding receptors, DKK1 blocks the transduction pathway of Wnt/β-catenin/TCF and inhibits the proliferation and invasion of tumor cells, inducing apoptosis. Leukemia is a hyperplastic disease of hematopoietic stem cell malignant clone. Its pathogenesis has been confirmed to be closely related with the aberrant activation of Wnt signaling pathway. This pathway is associated with the self-renewal and proliferation of the hematopoietic stem cells, which can regulate growth, differentiation, migration of the cells, angiogenesis and embryonic development. Its expression is regulated by some suppressor genes like Dickkopf 1 (DKK1). Leukemia often accompanied by methylation modification of the DKK1 gene, so as to leads to silencing itself and activation of the Wnt signaling pathway, which cause the occurrence of leukemia. Some therapeutic methods on leukemia aiming at DKK1 gene have been reported, among which DKK1 gene was demethylated. The intensive study on the expression and function of DKK1 should be important for the early diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. This article reviews the current progress in this field.
Apoptosis ; Cell Differentiation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Leukemia ; Wnt Proteins ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; beta Catenin

TGF-β signaling pathway plays a central role in the signaling networks that control the growth, differentiation of the cell, and the initiation of fibrosis and cancer. Wnt signaling pathway is critical for the embryonic development and the invasion and migration of cancer cells. TGF-β signaling and Wnt signaling, both of which play an important role in regulating embryonic development, fibrotic disease and tumor progression, have a close relationship. Researches find several typical cross points between these two signaling systems, such as Smad, Axin, Dvl and β-catenin. In this review, we focus on the crosstalk between TGF-β signaling and Wnt signaling through these typical factors, intending to better understand the process of fibrosis and tumor progression.
Fibrosis ; metabolism ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; physiology ; Wnt Proteins ; physiology ; Wnt Signaling Pathway

The canonical Wnt pathway is critical for embryonic stem cell (ESC) pluripotency and aberrant control of β-catenin leads to failure of exit from pluripotency and lineage commitments. Hence, maintaining the appropriate level of β-catenin is important for the decision to commit to the appropriate lineage. However, how β-catenin links to core transcription factors in ESCs remains elusive. C-terminal-binding protein (CtBP) in Drosophila is essential for Wnt-mediated target gene expression. In addition, Ctbp acts as an antagonist of β-catenin/TCF activation in mammals. Recently, Ctbp2, a core Oct4-binding protein in ESCs, has been reported to play a key role in ESC pluripotency. However, the significance of the connection between Ctbp2 and β-catenin with regard to ESC pluripotency remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that C-terminal-binding protein 2 (Ctbp2) associates with major components of the β-catenin destruction complex and limits the accessibility of β-catenin to core transcription factors in undifferentiated ESCs. Ctbp2 knockdown leads to stabilization of β-catenin, which then interacts with core pluripotency-maintaining factors that are occupied by Ctbp2, leading to incomplete exit from pluripotency. These findings suggest a suppressive function for Ctbp2 in reducing the protein level of β-catenin, along with priming its position on core pluripotency genes to hinder β-catenin deposition, which is central to commitment to the appropriate lineage.
Drosophila ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; Gene Expression ; Mammals ; Transcription Factors ; Wnt Signaling Pathway

OBJECTIVE: To study the significance of dishevelled (DVL) proteins in the Wnt signaling pathway in the pathogenesis and prognosis of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). METHODS: A total of 33 children with new-onset ALL were enrolled as the case group. According to the degree of risk, they were divided into 3 groups: low-risk (n=14), intermediate-risk (n=5) and high-risk (n=14). A total of 29 children with immune thrombocytopenia were enrolled as the control group. At diagnosis and on day 33 of induction therapy, 2 mL bone marrow samples were collected from the case and control groups, and qRT-PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression of DVL1, DVL2 and DVL3 in blood cells of bone marrow. RESULTS: The mRNA expression of DVL1, DVL2 and DVL3 in the case group in the incipient stage was significantly higher than that in the remission stage and the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the case group had a significant increase in the mRNA expression of DVL2 in the remission stage (P<0.05). The mRNA expression of DVL2 was significantly higher than that of DVL1 and DVL3 in both remission and incipient stages (P<0.05). The high- and intermediate-risk groups had significantly higher mRNA expression of DVL1 and DVL2 than the low-risk group (P<0.05). The mRNA expression of DVL2 was significantly higher than that of DVL1 and DVL3 in the low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The change in the expression of DVL, especially DVL2, in the Wnt signal pathway has certain significance in the pathogenesis and prognosis of childhood ALL.
Child ; Dishevelled Proteins ; Humans ; Phosphoproteins ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Wnt Signaling Pathway

Human optic nerve injury and its associated neurodegenerative diseases are often followed by permanent vision loss.Stem cell therapy has long been considered a promising mode to treat retinal degenerative diseases.Recent studies revealed that there are silent retinal stem cells in the eyes of mammals and even humans.These stem cells can be activated again under certain conditions and differentiate into retinal neurons to repair the damaged retina.Wnt signaling pathway plays a crucial role in conducting growth-stimulating signals and regulates cell proliferation,differentiation and apoptosis.This article review the regulatory effect of Wnt signaling pathway on stem cells-based retinal regeneration and the sources of retinal stem cells.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Humans ; Regeneration ; Retina ; growth & development ; Stem Cells ; metabolism ; Wnt Signaling Pathway