scholarly journals R-spondin 3 deletion favors Erk phosphorylation to enhance Wnt signaling and bone formation

Author(s):  
Kenichi Nagano ◽  
Kei Yamana ◽  
Hiroaki Saito ◽  
Riku Kiviranta ◽  
Ana Clara Pedroni ◽  
...  

Abstract Activation of Wnt signaling leads to high bone density. The R-spondin family of four secreted glycoproteins (Rspo1-4) amplifies Wnt signaling. In humans, RSPO3 variants are strongly associated with bone density, but how RSPO3 affects skeletal homeostasis is not fully understood. Here we show that in mice Rspo3 haplo-insufficiency or its targeted deletion in osteoprogenitors lead to an increase in bone formation and bone mass. Contrary to expectations, Rspo3 haplo-insufficiency results in canonical Wnt signaling activation. Using mouse embryonic fibroblasts we show that Rspo3 deficiency leads to activation of Erk signaling, stabilizing β-catenin. Furthermore, Rspo3 haplo-insufficiency impairs Dkk1 efficacy in blocking canonical Wnt signaling and prevents the in vivo inhibition of bone formation and bone mass induced by osteoblast-targeted expression of Dkk1. We conclude that Rspo3 haplo-insufficiency/deficiency boosts canonical Wnt signaling by activating Erk signaling and impairing Dkk1’s inhibitory activity, which in turn lead to increased bone formation and bone mass.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenichi Nagano ◽  
Kei Yamana ◽  
Hiroaki Saito ◽  
Riku Kiviranta ◽  
Ana Clara Pedroni ◽  
...  

Abstract Activation of Wnt signaling leads to high bone density. The R-spondin family of four secreted glycoproteins (Rspo1-4) amplifies Wnt signaling. In humans, RSPO3 variants are strongly associated with bone density, but how RSPO3 affects skeletal homeostasis is not fully understood. Here we show that in mice Rspo3 haplo-insufficiency or its targeted deletion in osteoprogenitors lead to an increase in bone formation and bone mass. Contrary to expectations, Rspo3 haplo-insufficiency results in canonical Wnt signaling activation. Using mouse embryonic fibroblasts we show that Rspo3 deficiency leads to activation of Erk signaling, stabilizing β-catenin. Furthermore, Rspo3 haplo-insufficiency impairs Dkk1 efficacy in blocking canonical Wnt signaling and prevents the in vivo inhibition of bone formation and bone mass induced by osteoblast-targeted expression of Dkk1. We conclude that Rspo3 haplo-insufficiency/deficiency boosts canonical Wnt signaling by activating Erk signaling and impairing Dkk1’s inhibitory activity, which in turn lead to increased bone formation and bone mass.


2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (12) ◽  
pp. 4946-4955 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minrong Ai ◽  
Sheri L. Holmen ◽  
Wim Van Hul ◽  
Bart O. Williams ◽  
Matthew L. Warman

ABSTRACT The low-density-lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5), a coreceptor in the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, has been implicated in human disorders of low and high bone mass. Loss-of-function mutations cause the autosomal recessive osteoporosis-pseudoglioma syndrome, and heterozygous missense mutations in families segregating autosomal dominant high bone mass (HBM) phenotypes have been identified. We expressed seven different HBM-LRP5 missense mutations to delineate the mechanism by which they alter Wnt signaling. None of the mutations caused activation of the receptor in the absence of ligand. Each mutant receptor was able to reach the cell surface, albeit at differing amounts, and transduce exogenously supplied Wnt1 and Wnt3a signal. All HBM mutant proteins had reduced physical interaction with and reduced inhibition by DKK1. These data suggest that HBM mutant proteins can transit to the cell surface in sufficient quantity to transduce Wnt signal and that the likely mechanism for the HBM mutations' physiologic effects is via reduced affinity to and inhibition by DKK1.


Circulation ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 118 (suppl_18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Weidong Zhu ◽  
Ichiro Shiojima ◽  
Li Zhi ◽  
Hiroyuki Ikeda ◽  
Masashi Yoshida ◽  
...  

Insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) bind to and modulate the actions of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs). Although some of the effects of IGFBPs appear to be independent of IGFs, the precise mechanisms of IGF-independent actions of IGFBPs are largely unknown. In this study we demonstrate that IGFBP-4 is a novel cardiogenic growth factor. IGFBP-4 enhanced cardiomyocyte differentiation of P19CL6 embryonal carcinoma cells and embryonic stem (ES) cells in vitro. Conversely, siRNA-mediated knockdown of IGFBP-4 in P19CL6 cells or ES cells attenuated cardiomyocyte differentiation, and morpholino-mediated knockdown of IGFBP-4 in Xenopus embryos resulted in severe cardiac defects and complete absence of the heart in extreme cases. We also demonstrate that the cardiogenic effect of IGFBP-4 was independent of its IGF-binding activity but was mediated by the inhibitory effect on canonical Wnt signaling. IGFBP-4 physically interacted with a Wnt receptor Frizzled 8 (Frz8) and a Wnt co-receptor low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6), and inhibited the binding of Wnt3A to Frz8 and LRP6. Moreover, the cardiogenic defects induced by IGFBP-4 knockdown both in vitro and in vivo was rescued by simultaneous inhibition of canonical Wnt signaling. Thus, IGFBP-4 is an inhibitor of the canonical Wnt signaling, and Wnt inhibition by IGFBP-4 is required for cardiogenesis. The present study provides a molecular link between IGF signaling and Wnt signaling, and suggests that IGFBP-4 may be a novel therapeutic target for heart diseases.


Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (11) ◽  
pp. 3420-3420
Author(s):  
Ya-Wei Qiang ◽  
Shmuel Yaccoby ◽  
John D. Shaughnessy

Wnt signaling is a highly conserved signal transduction pathway involved in embryonic development. Inappropriate canonical Wnt signaling resulting in beta-catenin stabilization, is associated with several types of human cancers. Multiple myeloma plasma cells express Wnt receptors, Wnt ligands and soluble Wnt inhibitors. Wnt signaling is central to osteoblast and osteoclasts development and secretion of Wnt signaling inhibitors by myeloma cells is thought to contribute to the osteolytic phenotype seen in this disease and prostate cancer. While it is now clear that MM cells can signal through both canonical and non-canonical mechanisms, there are conflicting data as to the direct role of Wnt signaling in myeloma cell biology. Others have shown that Wnts cause proliferation of myeloma cells; while we have shown that canonical Wnts cause morphological changes and migration, but not cell proliferation. To further elucidate the role of canonical Wnt signaling in myeloma and myeloma bone disease we used limiting dilutions in the presence of G418 to create two independent stable clones of the myeloma cell line NCI-H929 expressing Wnt-3A (H929/W3A), which is not expressed in myeloma, and an empty vector (H929/EV). Because Wnt antibodies are not available we cloned Wnt-3A as a fusion protein with hemagglutinin (HA). Western blots against HA revealed a positive band of the expected size only in the H929/W3A clones. GST-E-cadherin binding assay and Western blot analysis revealed elevated levels of total and free beta-catenin in H929/W3A relative to H929/EV, however, there this was not associated with increased growth or proliferation by MTT assay. To determine the in-vivo growth characteristics and effects on bone resorption of Wnt-3A producing cells, we transplanted the lines into a human bone implanted the flank of SCID mice. Tumor growth rate as determined by increased production of human immunoglobulin in mice serum was significantly slower in the Wnt-3A transfected cells relative to controls (P < .05). Loss of bone mineral density (BMD) of the implanted bones engrafted with H929/W3A cells was lower than in bones engrafted with H929/EV cells (P < .05). Reduced tumor burden and BMD loss was also visualized on x-ray radiographs. Taken together these data indicate that all factors promoting bone resorption produced by or elicited by the myeloma cell line H929 are subordinate to canonical Wnt signaling and that prevention of bone destruction may help control myeloma progression.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 2398-2398
Author(s):  
Elena K Siapati ◽  
Magda Papadaki ◽  
Zoi Kozaou ◽  
Erasmia Rouka ◽  
Evridiki Michali ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 2398 Poster Board II-375 B-catenin is the central effector molecule of the canonical wnt signaling pathway which governs cell fate and differentiation during embryogenesis as well as self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells. Deregulation of the pathway has been observed in various malignancies including myeloid leukemias where over-expression of β-catenin is an independent adverse prognostic factor. In the present study we examined the functional outcome of stable β-catenin down-regulation through lentivirus-mediated expression of short hairpin RNA (shRNA). Reduction of the β-catenin levels in AML cell lines and patient samples diminished their in vitro proliferation ability without significantly affecting cell viability. In order to study the role of β-catenin in vivo, we transplanted leukemic cell lines with control or reduced levels of β-catenin in NOD/SCID animals and analyzed the engraftment levels in the bone marrow. We observed that while the immediate homing of the cells was not affected by the β-catenin levels, the bone marrow engraftment was directly dependent on its levels. Subsequent examination of bone marrow sections revealed that the reduced engraftment was partly due to the inability of the cells with lower β-catenin levels to dock to the endosteal niches, a finding that was confirmed in competitive repopulation assays with untransduced cells. When we examined the expression levels of adhesion molecules and integrins in engrafted cells in vivo, we observed a significant down-regulation of CD44 expression, a molecule that participates in the interaction of HSCs with the niche. Gene expression analysis of the components of the wnt signaling pathway showed that the pathway is subject to tight transcriptional regulation with minor expression deviations. We did, however, observe an up-regulation in components that participate in the non-canonical wnt signaling pathways such as the WNT5B ligand. Ongoing experiments in normal cord blood CD34+ cells will determine the in vivo role of β-catenin signaling in normal hematopoietic progenitors. In conclusion, our study showed that β-catenin comprises an integral part in the development and progression of AML in vivo, indicating that manipulation of the wnt pathway may hold a therapeutic potential in the management of AML. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2004 ◽  
Vol 24 (11) ◽  
pp. 4677-4684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yazhou Zhang ◽  
Yang Wang ◽  
Xiaofeng Li ◽  
Jianhong Zhang ◽  
Junhao Mao ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The mechanism by which the high-bone-mass (HBM) mutation (G171V) of the Wnt coreceptor LRP5 regulates canonical Wnt signaling was investigated. The mutation was previously shown to reduce DKK1-mediated antagonism, suggesting that the first YWTD repeat domain where G171 is located may be responsible for DKK-mediated antagonism. However, we found that the third YWTD repeat, but not the first repeat domain, is required for DKK1-mediated antagonism. Instead, we found that the G171V mutation disrupted the interaction of LRP5 with Mesd, a chaperone protein for LRP5/6 that is required for transport of the coreceptors to cell surfaces, resulting in fewer LRP5 molecules on the cell surface. Although the reduction in the number of cell surface LRP5 molecules led to a reduction in Wnt signaling in a paracrine paradigm, the mutation did not appear to affect the activity of coexpressed Wnt in an autocrine paradigm. Together with the observation that osteoblast cells produce autocrine canonical Wnt, Wnt7b, and that osteocytes produce paracrine DKK1, we think that the G171V mutation may cause an increase in Wnt activity in osteoblasts by reducing the number of targets for paracrine DKK1 to antagonize without affecting the activity of autocrine Wnt.


eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ananya Pal ◽  
Jia Yu Leung ◽  
Gareth Chin Khye Ang ◽  
Vinay Kumar Rao ◽  
Luca Pignata ◽  
...  

Wnt signaling is downregulated in embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) and contributes to the block of differentiation. Epigenetic mechanisms leading to its suppression are unknown and could pave the way toward novel therapeutic modalities. We demonstrate that EHMT2 suppresses canonical Wnt signaling by activating expression of the Wnt antagonist DKK1. Inhibition of EHMT2 expression or activity in human ERMS cell lines reduced DKK1 expression and elevated canonical Wnt signaling resulting in myogenic differentiation in vitro and in mouse xenograft models in vivo. Mechanistically, EHMT2 impacted Sp1 and p300 enrichment at the DKK1 promoter. The reduced tumor growth upon EHMT2 deficiency was reversed by recombinant DKK1 or LGK974, which also inhibits Wnt signaling. Consistently, among 13 drugs targeting chromatin modifiers, EHMT2 inhibitors were highly effective in reducing ERMS cell viability. Our study demonstrates that ERMS cells are vulnerable to EHMT2 inhibitors and suggest that targeting the EHMT2-DKK1-β-catenin node holds promise for differentiation therapy.


Blood ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 122 (21) ◽  
pp. 3010-3010
Author(s):  
Raphael Koch ◽  
Martin Demant ◽  
Thiha Aung ◽  
Annemarie Guentsch ◽  
Nina Diering ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma are treated in curative intention. However, some patients experience fatal relapse, originating from refractory lymphoma cells with the capacity for clonogenic regrowth. We here addressed repopulation capacity of lymphoma cell subpopulations and the mechanisms regulating the populational composition in the growing tumor. Material & Methods We identified side population (SP) cells in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell lines and patient samples with the DNA-binding dye Hoechst33342, analyzed clonogenicity in vitro and in vivo and screened for differentially expressed genes and DNA-methylation patterns. A GFP-containing lentiviral vector construct was used to keep track of side population cells cultured among mixed cultures of SP and nonSP cells. Manipulation of canonical wnt-signaling was performed by lentiviral sh-RNA constructs as well as pharmacological tankyrase-inhibition by XAV-939. In vitro data were supported by in vivo experiments using a chorioallantoic membrane-assay. Results Colony assays and suspension cultures of sorted SP and nonSP cells revealed restriction of clonogenic potential to the SP cell population as well as resurgence of nonSP cells from purified SP cell progenitors, while mixed culture assays using a GFP-vector construct tracing the SP vs. nonSP-population revealed homeostasis between the two populations, showing both SP and nonSP cells contributing to either cell compartment. SP cells show enhanced canonical wnt-signaling and increased exosomal secretion of wnt3a. Suppression of canonical wnt-signaling resulted in reduced clonogenicity. Exosome stimulation of DLBCL cell lines resulted in increased clonogenicity, stabilization of beta catenin and enhanced TOP/FOP activity. Conclusion Here we show that tumor cells reversibly switch between states of autonomous and non-autonomous clonogenicity, and that such transitions are regulated by exosome-mediated wnt signaling. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2011 ◽  
Vol 286 (27) ◽  
pp. 23771-23779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark S. Rybchyn ◽  
Michael Slater ◽  
Arthur D. Conigrave ◽  
Rebecca S. Mason

Sclerostin is an important regulator of bone homeostasis and canonical Wnt signaling is a key regulator of osteogenesis. Strontium ranelate is a treatment for osteoporosis that has been shown to reduce fracture risk, in part, by increasing bone formation. Here we show that exposure of human osteoblasts in primary culture to strontium increased mineralization and decreased the expression of sclerostin, an osteocyte-specific secreted protein that acts as a negative regulator of bone formation by inhibiting canonical Wnt signaling. Strontium also activated, in an apparently separate process, an Akt-dependent signaling cascade via the calcium-sensing receptor that promoted the nuclear translocation of β-catenin. We propose that two discrete pathways linked to canonical Wnt signaling contribute to strontium-induced osteogenic effects in osteoblasts.


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