Wnt signaling: is the party in the nucleus?

Genes Dev. 2006 Jun 1;20(11):1394-404. doi: 10.1101/gad.1424006.

Abstract

The Wnt signaling pathway controls cell proliferation and body patterning throughout development. A surprising number of cytoplasmic Wnt regulators (e.g., beta-catenin, Bcl-9/Lgs, APC, Axin) also appear, often transiently, in the nucleus. beta-Catenin is an integral component of E-cadherin complexes at intercellular adherens junctions, but also recruits chromatin remodeling complexes to activate transcription in the nucleus. The APC tumor suppressor is a part of the cytoplasmic beta-catenin destruction complex, yet also counteracts beta-catenin transactivation and histone H3K4 methylation at Wnt target genes. Furthermore, APC coordinates the cyclic exchange of Wnt coregulator complexes at the DNA. These opposing roles of APC and beta-catenin enable a rapid coordination of gene expression and cytoskeletal organization throughout the cell in response to signaling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism*
  • Genes, APC
  • Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Wnt Proteins
  • beta Catenin