Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway
The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is a crucialintracellular signaling mechanism that plays a significant role in various biological processes such as cell fate determination, tissue regeneration, and tumorigenesis.
Wnt Ligands: Wnt is a family of secreted glycoproteins that includes multiple different ligands.
Frizzled Receptors: Wnt ligands bind to Frizzled receptors on the membrane, along with co-receptors LRP5/6, initiating signal transduction.
Disheveled Protein: The binding of Wnt ligands leads to the activation of Disheveled protein, which in turn affects the stability of β-catenin.
Accumulation of β-catenin: Upon Wnt signaling activation, the accumulation of β-catenin in the cytoplasm increases because it is no longer degraded by the degradation complex.
Nuclear Translocation: The accumulated β-catenin forms a complex with TCF/LEF family transcription factors and enters the cell nucleus.
Gene Transcription Regulation: Inside the nucleus, the β-catenin/TCF/LEF complex binds to the promoter region of target genes, activating or repressing the transcription of specific genes.
Signal Termination: The activity of the Wnt signaling pathway is regulated by various negative feedback mechanisms, including the degradation of β-catenin and the inhibition of Wnt signal secretion.
Biological Functions: The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is involved in the regulation of embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration.
Disease Association: Abnormal activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is associated with various diseases, especially cancer,where mutations or overexpression of β-catenin often lead to tumor development and progression.
Therapeutic Potential: Due to its role in disease development, the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway has become an important target for drug development, particularly in the field of cancer therapy.
Drug Targets
