Pachymic acid exerts antitumor activities by modulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway via targeting PTP1B

Objective:To determine the inhibitory effects of pachymic acid on lung adenocarcinoma(LUAD)cells and elucidate its underlying mechanism.Methods:CCK-8,wound healing,Transwell,Western blot,tube formation,and immunofluorescence assays were carried out to measure the effects of various concentrations of pachymic acid on LUAD cell proliferation,metastasis,angiogenesis as well as autophagy.Subsequently,molecular docking technology was used to detect the potential targeted binding association between pachymic acid and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B(PTP1B).Moreover,PTP1B was overexpressed in A549 cells to detect the specific mechanisms of pachymic acid.Results:Pachymic acid suppressed LUAD cell viability,metastasis as well as angiogenesis while inducing cell autophagy.It also targeted PTP1B and lowered PTP1B expression.However,PTP1B overexpression reversed the effects of pachymic acid on metastasis,angiogenesis,and autophagy as well as the expression of Wnt3a andβ-catenin in LUAD cells.Conclusions:Pachymic acid inhibits metastasis and angiogenesis,and promotes autophagy in LUAD cells by modulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway via targeting PTP1B.

Effects of Helicobacter pylori and Moluodan on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in mice with precancerous gastric cancer lesions

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)is the primary risk factor for gastric cancer(GC),the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway is closely linked to tumourigenesis.GC has a high mortality rate and treatment cost,and there are no drugs to prevent the progression of gastric precancerous lesions to GC.Therefore,it is necessary to find a novel drug that is inexpensive and preventive to against GC.AIM To explore the effects of H.pylori and Moluodan on the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway and precancerous lesions of GC(PLGC).METHODS Mice were divided into the control,N-methyl-N-nitrosourea(MNU),H.pylori+MNU,and Moluodan groups.We first created an H.pylori infection model in the H.pylori+MNU and Moluodan groups.A PLGC model was created in the remaining three groups except for the control group.Moluodan was fed to mice in the Moloudan group ad libitum.The general condition of mice were observed during the whole experiment period.Gastric tissues of mice were grossly and microscopically examined.Through quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR)and Western blotting analysis,the expression of relevant genes were detected.RESULTS Mice in the H.pylori+MNU group showed the worst performance in general condition,gastric tissue visual and microscopic observation,followed by the MNU group,Moluodan group and the control group.QRT-PCR and Western blotting analysis were used to detect the expression of relevant genes,the results showed that the H.pylori+MNU group had the highest expression,followed by the MNU group,Moluodan group and the control group.CONCLUSION H.pylori can activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway,thereby facilitating the development and progression of PLGC.Moluodan suppressed the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway,thereby decreasing the progression of PLGC.

ZNF554 Inhibits Endometrial Cancer Progression via Regulating RBM5 and Inactivating WNT/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

Objective:Uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma(UCEC),a kind of gynecologic malignancy,poses a significant risk to women’s health.The precise mechanism underlying the development of UCEC remains elusive.Zinc finger protein 554(ZNF554),a member of the Krüppel-associated box domain zinc finger protein superfamily,was reported to be dysregulated in various illnesses,including malignant tumors.This study aimed to examine the involvement of ZNF554 in the development of UCEC.Methods:The expression of ZNF554 in UCEC tissues and cell lines were examined by qRT-PCR and Western blot assay.Cells with stably overexpressed or knocked-down ZNF554 were established through lentivirus infection.CCK-8,wound healing,and Transwell invasion assays were employed to assess cell proliferation,migration,and invasion.Propidium iodide(PI)staining combined with fluorescence-activated cell sorting(FACS)flow cytometer was utilized to detect cell cycle distribution.qRT-PCR and Western blotting were conducted to examine relative mRNA and protein levels.Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and luciferase reporter assay were used to explore the regulatory role of ZNF554 in RNA binding motif 5(RBM5).Results:The expression of ZNF554 was found to be reduced in both UCEC samples and cell lines.Decreased expression of ZNF554 was associated with higher tumor stage,decreased overall survival,and reduced disease-free survival in UCEC.ZNF554 overexpression suppressed cell proliferation,migration,and invasion,while also inducing cell cycle arrest.In contrast,a decrease in ZNF554 expression resulted in the opposite effect.Mechanistically,ZNF554 transcriptionally regulated RBM5,leading to the deactivation of the Wingless(WNT)/β-catenin signaling pathway.Moreover,the findings from rescue studies demonstrated that the inhibition of RBM5 negated the impact of ZNF554 overexpression onβ-catenin and p-glycogen synthase kinase-3β(p-GSK-3β).Similarly,the deliberate activation of RBM5 reduced the increase inβ-catenin and p-GSK-3βcaused by the suppression of ZNF554.In vitro experiments showed that ZNF554 overexpression-induced decreases in cell proliferation and migration were counteracted by RBM5 knockdown.Additionally,when RBM5 was overexpressed,it hindered the improvements in cell proliferation and migration caused by reducing the ZNF554 levels.Conclusion:ZNF554 functions as a tumor suppressor in UCEC.Furthermore,ZNF554 regulates UCEC progression through the RBM5/WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway.ZNF554 shows a promise as both a prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target for UCEC.

Effects of Qigongwan on Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Pathway in Rats with Polycystic Ovary syndrome

[Objectives] To explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Qigongwan on PCOS model rats by detecting the changes in sex hormone levels in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and observing the effects of ovarian pathological morphological changes, apoptosis and expression of Wnt/β-β catenin signaling pathway protein. [Methods] Ten of 40 female SD rats were randomly selected as the normal group, and the other 30 rats were treated with letrozole combined with high-fat diet to establish the PCOS rat model. After successful modeling, the model group was randomly divided into Qigongwan group, positive Daying-35 (Ethinylestradiol and Cyproterone Acetate Tablets) group and model group, with 10 rats in each group. Qigongwan group was given 14.7 g/(kg·d) by gavage, Daying-35 group was given 0.21 mg/(kg·d) by oral gavage, and normal group and model group were given the same amount of distilled water, and the intervention lasted for 21 d. ELISA method was used to detect the levels of hormones such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (T), estradiol (E 2) and progesterone (P) in serum. HE staining was used to observe the pathological morphological changes of ovarian tissues;TUNEL staining was used to observe apoptosis of ovarian tissue granule cells;the expression of Wnt, β-catenin protein in rat ovarian tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. [Results] (i) Compared with the model group, Qigongwan group and Daying-35 group could significantly increase serum E 2 and P levels, significantly reduce serum T levels ( P <0.01), significantly reduce serum LH levels and LH/FSH ratio ( P <0.01), and increase serum FSH levels ( P <0.05) in different degrees. (ii)The results of HE staining showed that compared with the model group, Qigongwan and Daying-35 groups could improve follicular development and reduce atretic follicles in different degrees. Compared with Daying-35 group, the number of GC layers in Qigongwan group was significantly increased. (iii) The results of TUNEL staining showed that compared with the model group, the rate of TUNEL-positive cells in the Qigongwan group and Daying-35 group decreased significantly ( P <0.01). (iv) The immunohistochemical results showed that compared with the model group, the expression levels of wnt and β-catenin in the Qigongwan group and the Daying-35 group increased in different degrees ( P <0.05), and the expression range increased. [Conclusions] Qigongwan can regulate the secretion level of sex hormones such as FSH and LH, improve the pathological damage of ovarian tissue, and inhibit apoptosis of ovarian granule cells, and its mechanism may be related to the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

TCM Intervention on Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy(DN)is the most serious microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus,which is highly prevalent worldwide.Abnormal activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is an important mechanism of renal damage induced by hyperglycemia.Many studies have shown that TCM has the advantages of high efficiency and safety in the prevention and treatment of DN.Some TCM monomers and compounds repair podocyte function and inhibit transdifferentiation process by inhibiting the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway,thus playing a protective role in kidney.Based on this,this paper will review the existing research results and related mechanisms of TCM intervention in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in the treatment of DN,in order to promote the more effective and reasonable application of TCM in clinical practice.

Heterogeneity beyond tumor heterogeneity—SULF2 involvement in Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation in a heterogeneous side population of liver cancer cells

Introduction:Sulfatase 2(SULF2),an endogenous extracellular sulfatase,can remove 6-O-sulfate groups of glucosamine residues from heparan sulfate(HS)chains to modulate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway,which plays an important role in both liver carcinogenesis and embryogenesis.Side population(SP)cells are widely identified as stem-like cancer cells and are closely related to carcinoma metastasis,recurrence,and poor patient prognosis.However,the roles of SULF2 in SP cells of hepatomas are unclear,and the underlying mechanism is undefined.Objectives:This study aimed to compare the heterogeneity between SP cells and non-side population(NSP)cells derived from three different liver cancer cell lines and to elucidate the involvement of the SULF2-Wnt/β-catenin axis in liver cancer stem cells(CSCs)and its impact on the processes of carcinogenesis and invasiveness.Methods:In this work,three different liver cancer SP cells(HepG2,Huh7,and PRC/PRL/5)were sorted by flow cytometry.We also examined the migration and invasion behaviors of SP and NSP cells.To determine if this high tumorigenic potential of SP cells is correlated to SULF2,qPCR,western blotting,and immunofluorescence analysis were conducted.We also performed nude mouse xenograft experiments for in vivo analysis.Results:The results from the in vitro colony formation assay showed that SP cells exhibited a 2-fold higher colony formation efficiency compared to their NSP counterparts.The SP cells exhibited significantly higher potentials in terms of their migratory capacity and invasive ability compared to NSP cells.We found that higher expression of SULF2 in SP cells was associated with greater capabilities for clonogenicity,migration,and invasion.It was also linked to higher activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway via stimulation of key downstream factors,particularlyβ-catenin,c-Myc,and cyclin D1.Further,a positive correlation between the upregulated SULF2 expression and tumorigenesis in the in vivo nude mouse xenograft models was demonstrated,highlighting that the potential underlying mechanism was Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activation.Conclusion:Our findings show that variable SULF2 expression was associated with differential activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway,which could lead to behavioral differences between SP and NSP cells and also among the SP cells of the three liver cancer cell lines assessed.It was reasonably concluded that the SULF2-Wnt/β-catenin axis could play an important role in the tumorigenicity of liver cancer stem cells.

The Role and Mechanism of LncRNA-p21 in Regulating Gastric Cancer Metastasis by Mediating Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

Objective:To study the mechanism of lncRNA p21 inhibiting the growth and metastasis of human gastric cancer SGC7901/GES-1 cells by mediating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.Methods:Lentiviral overexpression of lncRNA-p21 in human gastric cancer SGC7901/GES-1 cell transfections was observed and analyzed for in vitro migration,invasion,cell morphology and proliferation.Besides.Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was tested for direct involvement in lncRNA-p21-mediated inhibition of gastric cancer cell growth and proliferation.Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was validated using Li-C1.Results:Gastric cancer SGC7901/GES-1 cells in the overexpression of lncRNA-p21 showed changes in stellate morphology,low invasion,or spindle-shaped morphology.LncRNA-p21 inhibited the growth and proliferation of gastric cancer SGC7901/GES-1 cells both in vivo and in vitro,and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway mediated the proliferation,invasion,and migration of lncRNA-p21 on gastric cancer SGC7901/GES-1 cells.Conclusion:LncRNA-p21 can inhibit the growth and metastasis of gastric cancer SGC7901/GES-1 cells in vitro and in vivo,and the inhibition of lncRNA p21 is mainly mediated by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Neuroprotective effect of rapamycin on spinal cord injury via activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a crucial role in neural development, axonal guid- ance, neuropathic pain remission and neuronal survival. In this study, we initially examined the effect of rapamycin on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway after spinal cord iniury, by intraperitoneally injecting spinal cord injured rats with rapamycin over 2 days. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining were used to detect the expression levels of β-catenin protein, caspase-3 protein and brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein, components of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Rapamycin increased the levels of β-catenin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the injured spinal cord, improved the pathological morphology at the injury site, reduced the loss of motor neurons, and promoted motor functional recovery in rats after spinal cord injury. Our experimental fndings suggest that the neuroprotective effect of rapamycin intervention is mediated through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway after spinal cord injury.

MiR-19a-3p regulates the Forkhead box F2-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and affects the biological functions of colorectal cancer cells

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer(CRC)is one of the most common malignancies worldwide.AIM To explore the expression of microRNA miR-19a-3p and Forkhead box F2(FOXF2)in patients with CRC and the relevant mechanisms.METHODS Sixty-two CRC patients admitted to the hospital were enrolled into the study group,and sixty healthy people from the same period were assigned to the control group.Elbow venous blood was sampled from the patients and healthy individuals,and blood serum was saved for later analysis.MiR-19a-3p mimics,miR-19a-3p inhibitor,miR-negative control,small interfering-FOXF2,and short hairpin-FOXF2 were transfected into HT29 and HCT116 cells.Then quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to quantify the expression of miR-19a-3p and FOXF2 in HT29 and HCT116 cells,and western blot(WB)analysis was conducted to evaluate the levels of FOXF2,glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta(GSK-3β),phosphorylated GSK-3β(p-GSK-3β),β-catenin,p-β-catenin,α-catenin,Ncadherin,E-cadherin,and vimentin.The MTT,Transwell,and wound healing assays were applied to analyze cell proliferation,invasion,and migration,respectively,and the dual luciferase reporter assay was used to determine the correlation of miR-19a-3p with FOXF2.RESULTS The patients showed high serum levels of miR-19a-3p and low levels of FOXF2,and the area under the curves of miR-19a-3p and FOXF2 were larger than 0.8.MiR-19a-3p and FOXF2 were related to sex,tumor size,age,tumor-nodemetastasis staging,lymph node metastasis,and differentiation of CRC patients.Silencing of miR-19a-3p and overexpression of FOXF2 suppressed the epithelialmesenchymal transition,invasion,migration,and proliferation of cells.WB analysis revealed that silencing of miR-19a-3p and FOXF2 overexpression significantly suppressed the expression of p-GSK-3β,β-catenin,N-cadherin,and vimentin;and increased the levels of GSK-3β,p-β-catenin,α-catenin,and Ecadherin.The dual luciferase reporter assay confirmed that there was a targeted correlation of miR-19a-3p with FOXF2.In addition,a rescue experiment revealed that there were no differences in cell proliferation,invasion,and migration in HT29 and HCT116 cells co-transfected with miR-19a-3p-mimics+sh-FOXF2 and miR-19a-3p-inhibitor+si-FOXF2 compared to the miR-negative control group.CONCLUSION Inhibiting miR-19a-3p expression can upregulate the FOXF2-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway,thereby affecting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition,proliferation,invasion,and migration of cells.Thus,miR-19a-3p is likely to be a therapeutic target in CRC.

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in the tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway regulates many aspects of tumor biology,and many studies have focused on the role of this signaling pathway in tumor cells.However,it is now clear that tumor development and metastasis depend on the two-way interaction between cancer cells and their environment,thereby forming a tumor microenvironment(TME).In this review,we discuss how Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates cross-interactions among different components of the TME,including immune cells,stem cells,tumor vasculature,and noncellular components of the TME in hepatocellular carcinoma.We also investigate their preclinical and clinical insights for primary liver cancer intervention,and explore the significance of using Wnt/β-catenin mutations as a biomarker to predict resistance in immunotherapy.

Expression analysis of eight amphioxus genes involved in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the embryonic development of metazoans. Although the pathway has been studied extensively in many model animals, its function in amphioxus, the most primitive chordate, remains largely uncharacterized. To obtain basic data for functional analysis, we identified and isolated seven genes （Lrp5/6, Dvl, APC, Ckla, CklS, Gsk3β, and Gro） of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway from the amphioxus （Branchiostoma floridae） genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that amphioxus had fewer members of each gene family than that found in vertebrates. Whole-mount in situ hybridization showed that the genes were maternally expressed and broadly distributed throughout the whole embryo at the cleavage and blastula stages. Among them, Dvl was expressed asymmetrically towards the animal pole, while the others were evenly distributed in all blastomeres. At the mid-gastrula stage, the genes were specifically expressed in the primitive endomesoderm, but displayed different patterns. When the embryo developed into the neurula stage, the gene expressions were mainly detected in either paraxial somites or the tail bud. With the development of the embryo, the expression levels further decreased gradually and remained only in some pharyngeal regions or the tail bud at the larva stage. Our results suggest that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway might be involved in amphioxus somite formation and posterior growth, but not in endomesoderm specification.

Role of Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Pathway in the Mechanism of Calcification of Aortic Valve

Aortic valve calcification is a common disease in the elderly, but its cellular and molecular mechanisms are not clear. In order to verify the hypothesis that Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is involved in the process of calcification of aortic valve, porcine aortic valve interstitial cells（VICs） were isolated, cultured and stimulated with oxidized low density lipoprotein（ox-LDL） for 48 h to induce the differentiation of VICs into osteoblast-like cells. The key proteins and genes of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, such as glycogen synthase kinase 3β（GSK-3β） and β-catenin, were detected by using Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction（PCR）. The results showed that the VICs managed to differentiate into osteoblast-like cells after the stimulation with ox-LDL and the levels of proteins and genes of GSK-3β and β-catenin were increased significantly in VICs after stimulation for 48 h（P0.05）. It is suggested that Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway may play a key role in the differentiation of VICs into osteoblast-like cells and make great contribution to aortic valve calcification.

CDK11 negatively regulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the endosomal compartment by affecting microtubule stability

Objectives:Improper activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been implicated in human diseases.Beyond the well-studied glycogen synthase kinase 3p(GSK3p)and casein kinase 1(CK1),other kinases affecting Wnt/β-catenin signaling remain to be defined.Methods:To identify the kinases that modulate Wnt/β-catenin signaling,we applied a kinase small interfering RNA(siRNA)library screen approach.Luciferase assays,immunoblotting,and real-time polymerase chain reaction(PCR)were performed to confirm the regulation o f the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by cyclin-dependent kinase 11(CDK11)and to investigate the underlying mechanism.Confocal immunofluorescence,coimmunoprecipitation(co-IP),and scratch wound assays were used to demonstrate colocalization,detect protein interactions,and explore the function of CDK11.Results:CDK11 was found to be a significant candidate kinase participating in the negative control of Wnt/P-catenin signaling.Down-regulation of CDK11 led to the accumulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling receptor complexes,in a manner dependent on intact adenomatosis polyposis coli(APC)protein.Further analysis showed that CDK11 modulation of Wnt/P-catenin signaling engaged the endolysosomal machinery,and CDK11 knockdown enhanced the colocalization of Wnt/β-catenin signaling receptor complexes with early endosomes and decreased colocalization with lysosomes.Mechanistically,CDK11 was found to function in Wnt/β-catenin signaling by regulating microtubule stability.Depletion of CDK11 down-regulated acetyl-a-tubulin.Moreover,co-IP assays demonstrated that CDK11 interacts with the a-tubulin deacetylase SIRT2,whereas SIRT2 down-regulation in CDK11-depleted cells reversed the accumulation of Wnt/(3-catenin signaling receptor complexes.CDK11 was found to suppress cell migration through altered W nt/β-catenin signaling.Conclusions:CDK11 is a negative modulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling that stabilizes microtubules,thus resulting in the dysregulation of receptor complex trafficking from early endosomes to lysosomes.

Angelica sinensis polysaccharides ameliorate 5-flourouracil-induced bone marrow stromal cell proliferation inhibition via regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Chemotherapy may cause cellular oxidative stress to bone marrow.Oxidative damage of bone marrow hematopoietic microenvironment is closely related to chronic myelosuppression after chemotherapeutic treatment.Angelica sinensis polysaccharides(ASP)are major effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine Angelica with multi-target anti-oxidative stress features.In the current study,we investigated the protective roles and mechanisms of ASP on chemotherapy-induced bone marrow stromal cell(BMSC)damage.The human bone marrow stromal cell line HS-5 cells were divided into control group,5-FU group,5-FU+ASP group,and 5-FU+LiCl group to investigate the mechanism of ASP to alleviate 5-FU-induced BMSC proliferation inhibition.The results showed that 5-FU inhibits the growth of HS-5 cells in a time and dose-dependent manner;however,ASP partially counteracted the 5-FU-induced decrease in cell viability,whereas Wnt signaling inhibitor Dkk1 antagonized the effect of ASP on HS-5 cells.ASP reversed the decrease in total cytoplasmicβ-catenin,p-GSK-3β,and CyclinD1 following 5-FU treatment and modulated nuclear expression ofβ-catenin,Lef-1,and C-myc proteins.Furthermore,ASP also enhanced the antioxidant capacity of cells and reduced 5-FU-induced oxidative stress,attenuated FoxO1 expression,thus weakened its downstream apoptosis-related proteins and G0/G1 checkpoint-associated p27^(Kip1) expression to alleviate 5-FU-induced apoptosis and to promote cell cycle progression.All the results above suggest that the protective role of ASP in 5-FU-treated BMSCs proliferation for the chemotherapy may be related to its activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling and keeping homeostasis betweenβ-catenin and FoxO1 under oxidative stress.The study provides a potential therapeutic strategy for alleviating chemotherapeutic damage on BMSCs.

Effects of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway on the proliferation and invasive growth of cells in mantle cell lymphoma

Objective:To study the effects of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway on the proliferation and invasive growth of cells in mantle cell lymphoma.Methods: Patients who were diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma by lymph node biopsy in Tongji Hospital? Tongji Medical College Huazhong University of Science & Technology between March 2015 and May 2017 were selected as lymphoma group of the research, and patients who were diagnosed with reactive hyperplasia by lymph node biopsy during the same period were selected as the control group. The protein expression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway molecules in lymph node tissues were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, and the mRNA expression of proliferation genes and invasion genes were determined by fluorescence quantitative PCR kit.Results:β-catenin, p-GSK-3β and Tcf/Lef protein levels as well as C-myc, CyclinD1, Est-1, MMP9 and MMP26 mRNA expression in lymph node tissues of lymphoma group were significantly higher than those of control group whereas DKK1 and WIF-1 protein levels as well as Bax, Apaf1, Caspase-3, TNFAIP3, TIMP2 and TIMP4 mRNA expression were significantly lower than those of control group. C-myc, CyclinD1, Est-1, MMP9 and MMP26 mRNA expression in lymphoma tissues were positively correlated withβ-catenin, p-GSK-3β and Tcf/Lef protein levels, and negatively correlated with DKK1 and WIF-1 protein levels;Bax, Apaf1, Caspase-3, TNFAIP3, TIMP2 and TIMP4 mRNA expression were negatively correlated withβ-catenin, p-GSK-3β and Tcf/Lef protein levels, and positively correlated with DKK1 and WIF-1 protein levels.Conclusion: The activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway can promote the proliferation and invasive growth of cells in mantle cell lymphoma.

A Comprehensive Overview of Skeletal Phenotypes Associated with Alterations in Wnt/β-catenin Signaling in Humans and Mice

The Wnt signaling pathway plays key roles in differentiation and development and alterations in this signaling pathway are causally associated with numerous human diseases. While several laboratories were examining roles for Wnt signaling in skeletal development during the 1990s, interest in the pathway rose exponentially when three key papers were published in 2001-2002. One report found that loss of the Wnt co-receptor, Low-density lipoprotein related protein-5 （LRPS）, was the underlying genetic cause of the syndrome Osteoporosis pseudoglioma （OPPG）. OPPG is characterized by early-onset osteoporosis causing increased susceptibility to debilitating fractures. Shortly thereafter, two groups reported that individuals carrying a specific point mutation in LRP5 （G171V） develop high-bone mass. Subsequent to this, the causative mechanisms for these observations heightened the need to understand the mechanisms by which Wnt signaling controlled bone development and homeostasis and encouraged significant investment from biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to develop methods to activate Wnt signaling to increase bone mass to treat osteoporosis and other bone disease. In this review, we will briefly summarize the cellular mechanisms underlying Wnt signaling and discuss the observations related to OPPG and the high-bone mass disorders that heightened the appreciation of the role of Wnt signaling in normal bone development and homeostasis. We will then present a comprehensive overview of the core components of the pathway with an emphasis on the phenotypes associated with mice carrying genetically engineered mutations in these genes and clinical observations that further link alterations in the pathway to changes in human bone.

Mechanism of miR-21 via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in human A549 lung cancer cells and Lewis lung carcinoma in mice

Objective:To study the mechanism of effect of miR-21 via Wnt/ β-catenin signaling pathway in human A549 lung cancer cells and Lewis lung carcinoma in mice.Methods:The effect of miR-21 on A549 cells were detected by MTT method.MiR-21 expression levels were overexpressed or inhibited in A549 cells by transfecting with miR-21 mimics or inhibitors.Correlation among key molecules(Wnt1,β-catenin.CyclinD1 and miR-21) of mRNA and protein levels in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were studied by Real-time PCR and Western blot hybridization assay.Invasive ability of A549 cells was determined via Transwell chamber cell invasion assay;the role of miR-21 in A549 cells was explored via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.A Lewis lung carcinoma animal model was established to detect miR-21 expressions in tumor animals and controlled animal tissues,and verify expression changes of the above moleculesin the Wnt / β-catenin signaling pathway was determined in the animal level.Results:MTT assay results showed that miR-21 overexpression could markedly enhance cell absorbance value;that is,miR-21 could increase the ability proliferation of A549 cells.β-catenin and CyclinD1 expression levels were significantly higher in miR-21 mimic transfected cells(P<0.05),and Wnt 1 gene had no significant change.Wnt 1,β-catenin and CyclinD1 gene expression showed no significant change when miR-21 expression was suppressed,compared with controls.After cells were transfected with miR-21 mimics,cell invasion assay revealed that the perforated cells was significantly higher than the perforated cells in the control group(P<0.01).Lewis lung assay revealed that miR-21 expression levels in the Lewis lung carcinoma were significantly higher;and at the same time.Wnt1,β-catenin and CyclinD1 gene expression levels were significantly increased,compared to controls.Conclusions:In A549 human lung cancer cells and Lewis lung carcinoma in mice,key molecules β-catenin and CyclinD1 of miR-21 expressions and the Wnt/ β-catenin signaling pathway are positively correlated.

Effects of Er-Zhi-Wan on Microarchitecture and Regulation of Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Pathway in Alveolar Bone of Ovariectomized Rats

Recent studies have shown that Er-Zhi-Wan（EZW）, a traditional Chinese medicine consisting of Herba Ecliptae（HE） and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi（FLL）, had a definite antiosteoporotic effect on osteoporotic femur, but its effect on osteoporosis of alveolar bone remains unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effects of Er-Zhi-Wan（EZW） on the microarchitecture and the regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in the alveolar bone of ovariectomized rats. Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups： sham operation group（sham, n=10）, ovariectomy（OVX） group（n=10）, and OVX with EZW treatment group（EZW group, n=10）. From one week after ovariectomy, EZW（100 mg/mL） or vehicle（distilled water） was fed（1 mL/100 g） once per day for 12 weeks until the sacrifice of the rats. The body weights were measured weekly. After sacrifice, the sera and mandible were collected and routinely prepared for the measurement of alveolar trabecular microarchitecture, serum levels of E2, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase（BALP） and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b（TRAP5b）, as well as mandibular mRNA expression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway molecules wnt3a, low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5（LRP5）, β-catenin and dickkopf homolog 1（DKK1）. The results showed that EZW treatment significantly prevented the body weight gain, degradation of alveolar trabecular microarchitecture and alveolar bone loss in the OVX rats. Furthermore, we observed that EZW could increase the serum levels of E2 and BALP, and decrease levels of serum TRAP5b in EZW group compared with vehicle group. In addition, RT-PCR results revealed that EZW upregulated the expression levels of wnt3a, LRP5 and β-catenin, and reduced the expression of DKK1 in OVX rats. Taken together, our results suggested that EZW may have potential anti-osteoporotic effects on osteoporotic alveolar bone by stimulating Wnt/LRP5/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Regulation of MYC gene expression by aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling in colorectal cancer

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway controls intestinal homeostasis and mutations in components of this pathway are prevalent in human colorectal cancers(CRCs).These mutations lead to inappropriate expression of genes controlled by Wnt responsive DNA elements(WREs). T-cell factor/Lymphoid enhancer factor transcription factors bind WREs and recruit the β-catenin transcriptional co-activator to activate target gene expression. Deregulated expression of the c-MYC proto-oncogene(MYC) by aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling drives colorectal carcinogenesis. In this review,we discuss the current literature pertaining to the identification and characterization of WREs that control oncogenic MYC expression in CRCs. A common theme has emerged whereby these WREs often map distally to the MYC genomic locus and control MYC gene expression through long-range chromatin loops with the MYC proximal promoter. We propose that by determining which of these WREs is critical for CRC pathogenesis,novel strategies can be developed to treat individuals suffering from this disease.

The interaction between the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade and PKG activation in cancer

The activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade has been well studied and documented in colorectal cancer（CRC）.The long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs（NSAIDs） has been shown to reduce the incidence and risk of death from CRC in numerous epidemiological studies.The NSA1 D sulindac has also been reported to cause regression of precancerous adenomas in individuals with familial adenomatous polyposis who are at high risk of developing CRC.The mechanism responsible for cancer chemopreventive activity of NSAIDs is not well understood but may be unrelated to their cyclooxygenase inhibitory activity.Emerging evidence suggests that sulindac inhibits the growth of colon tumor cells by suppressing the activity of certain phosphodiesterase isozymes to activate cGMβ-dependent protein kinase,PKG,through the elevation of the second messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphote,cGMP.PKG activation has been shown to inhibit the nuclear translocation of β-catenin,reduce β-catenin mRNA and protein levels,and suppress the transcriptional activity of β-catenin.This review describes the relationship between the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade and the activation of PKG through PDE inhibition and elevation of intracellular cGMP levels.