The Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase Kinase Kinase GCKR Positively Regulates Canonical and Noncanonical Wnt Signaling in B Lymphocytes
ABSTRACT Wnt ligands bind receptors of the Frizzled (Fz) family to control cell fate, proliferation, and polarity. Canonical Wnt/Fz signaling stabilizes β-catenin by inactivating GSK3β, leading to the translocation of β-catenin to the nucleus and the activation of Wnt target genes. Noncanonical Wnt/Fz signaling activates RhoA and Rac, and the latter triggers the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Here, we show that exposure of B-lymphocytes to Wnt3a-conditioned media activates JNK and raises cytosolic β-catenin levels. Both the Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factor Asef and the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase germinal center kinase-related enzyme (GCKR) are required for Wnt-mediated JNK activation in B cells. In addition, we show that GCKR positively affects the β-catenin pathway in B cells. Reduction of GCKR expression inhibits Wnt3a-induced phosphorylation of GSK3β at serine 9 and decreases the accumulation of cytosolic β-catenin. Furthermore, Wnt signaling induces an interaction between GCKR and GSK3β. Our findings demonstrate that GCKR facilitates both canonical and noncanonical Wnt signaling in B lymphocytes.