scholarly journals Inhibition of the Wnt Signalling Pathway: An Avenue to Control Breast Cancer Aggressiveness

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (23) ◽  
pp. 9069
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Castagnoli ◽  
Elda Tagliabue ◽  
Serenella M. Pupa
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Wnt Signalling ◽  
Signalling Pathway ◽  
Stem Cell Population ◽  
Altered Expression ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Wnt Signalling Pathway ◽  
Cancer Aggressiveness

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common tumour in women. Although the introduction of novel therapeutic approaches in clinical practice has dramatically improved the clinical outcome of BC patients, this malignant disease remains the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The wingless/integrated (Wnt) signalling pathway represents a crucial molecular node relevantly implicated in the regulation of normal somatic stem cells as well as cancer stem cell (CSC) traits and the epithelial–mesenchymal transition cell program. Accordingly, Wnt signalling is heavily dysregulated in BC, and the altered expression of different Wnt genes is significantly associated with cancer-related aggressive behaviours. For all these reasons, Wnt signalling represents a promising therapeutic target currently under clinical investigation to achieve cancer eradication by eliminating CSCs, considered by most to be responsible for tumour initiation, relapse, and drug resistance. In this review, we summarized the current knowledge on the Wnt signalling pathway in BC and have presented evidence implicating the suitability of Wnt targeting in an attempt to improve the outcome of patients without affecting the normal somatic stem cell population.

scholarly journals The Wnt signalling pathway is upregulated in an in vitro model of acquired tamoxifen resistant breast cancer

BMC Cancer ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Ni Loh ◽  
Ellen L Hedditch ◽  
Laura A Baker ◽  
Eve Jary ◽  
Robyn L Ward ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
In Vitro Model ◽  
Wnt Signalling ◽  
Signalling Pathway ◽  
Wnt Signalling Pathway ◽  
Tamoxifen Resistant ◽  
Vitro Model

003.Expression of secreted frizzled related protein-4 (sFRP-4) and associated Wnt signalling in cancer and apoptosis

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Dharmarajan ◽  
N. Zeps ◽  
S. McLaren
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Human Breast Cancer ◽  
Wnt Signalling ◽  
Conditioned Media ◽  
Signalling Pathway ◽  
Beta Catenin ◽  
Related Protein ◽  
Human Breast ◽  
Wnt Signalling Pathway ◽  
Mcf 7

We examined the interplay between Wnt and secreted frizzled related protein-4 (sFRP4) in estradiol induced cell growth in breast cancer cells (MCF-7), and also determined the in vivo distribution of sFRP-4 in human breast cancer. MCF-7 cells were treated with estradiol, sFRP-4 conditioned media and a combination of the two. Real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis were used to determine the expression of the sFRP-4 and its associated Wnt signalling molecules following treatment. Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine sFRP-4 expression patterns in human breast cancers. Estradiol treatment up-regulated the expression of the Wnt signalling genes Wnt-10b, beta-catenin and fz-4 (P < 0.001 for all genes). This up-regulation was not associated with an increase in the Wnt signalling pathway as measured by the levels of active beta-catenin. sFRP-4 conditioned media reduced MCF-7 cell proliferation, down-regulated the Wnt signalling genes beta-catenin and fz-4 as well as down-regulating wnt signalling activity. sFRP-4 was able to reduce the proliferation of estradiol stimulated MCF-7 cells. Cytoplasmic sFRP-4 protein was expressed in all breast tumours examined, with intense staining evident in the lobular carcinoma in situ and the ductal carcinoma. These data demonstrate that sFRP-4 is a potent inhibitor of the Wnt signalling pathway in MCF-7 cells, acting not only to down-regulate the activity of the wnt signalling pathway, but also down-regulate the transcription of Wnt signalling genes. The results of these in vitro and immunohistochemical experiments warrant further investigation as to whether sFRP-4 expression can be indicative of prognosis in human breast cancer. In addition to breast cancer, we have also examined the role of sFRP-4 in other cancers such as ovarian and prostate.

scholarly journals Cadherin 11 Inhibition Downregulates β-catenin, Deactivates the Canonical WNT Signalling Pathway and Suppresses the Cancer Stem Cell-Like Phenotype of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamungkas Satriyo ◽  
Oluwaseun Bamodu ◽  
Jia-Hong Chen ◽  
Teguh Aryandono ◽  
Sofia Haryana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Tumor Growth ◽  
Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Integration Site ◽  
Wnt Signalling ◽  
Signalling Pathway ◽  
Tumor Xenograft ◽  
Wnt Signalling Pathway ◽  
Canonical Wnt

Background: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) promote tumor progression and distant metastasis in breast cancer. Cadherin 11 (CDH11) is overexpressed in invasive breast cancer cells and implicated in distant bone metastases in several cancers. The WNT signalling pathway regulates CSC activity. Growing evidence suggest that cadherins play critical roles in WNT signalling pathway. However, CDH11 role in canonical WNT signalling and CSCs in breast cancer is poorly understood. Methods: We investigated the functional association between CDH11 and WNT signalling pathway in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), by analyzing their expression profile in the TCGA Breast Cancer (BRCA) cohort and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of TNBC samples. Results: We observed a significant correlation between high CDH11 expression and poor prognosis in the basal and TNBC subtypes. Also, CDH11 expression positively correlated with β-catenin, wingless type MMTV integration site (WNT)2, and transcription factor (TCF)12 expression. IHC results showed CDH11 and β-catenin expression significantly correlated in TNBC patients (p < 0.05). We also showed that siRNA-mediated loss-of-CDH11 (siCDH11) function decreases β-catenin, Met, c-Myc, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)7 expression level in MDA-MB-231 and Hs578t. Interestingly, immunofluorescence staining showed that siCDH11 reduced β-catenin nuclear localization and attenuated TNBC cell migration, invasion and tumorsphere-formation. Of translational relevance, siCDH11 exhibited significant anticancer efficacy in murine tumor xenograft models, as demonstrated by reduced tumor-size, inhibited tumor growth and longer survival time. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that by modulating β-catenin, CDH11 regulates the canonical WNT signalling pathway. CDH11 inhibition suppresses the CSC-like phenotypes and tumor growth of TNBC cells and represents a novel therapeutic approach in TNBC treatment.

GSK3 takes centre stage more than 20 years after its discovery

2001 ◽  
Vol 359 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheelagh FRAME ◽  
Philip COHEN
Keyword(s):  
Substrate Specificity ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Glycogen Synthase ◽  
Glycogen Metabolism ◽  
Wnt Signalling ◽  
Signalling Pathway ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Entire Body ◽  
Wnt Signalling Pathway ◽  
Wnt Proteins

Identified originally as a regulator of glycogen metabolism, glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) is now a well-established component of the Wnt signalling pathway, which is essential for setting up the entire body pattern during embryonic development. It may also play important roles in protein synthesis, cell proliferation, cell differentiation, microtubule dynamics and cell motility by phosphorylating initiation factors, components of the cell-division cycle, transcription factors and proteins involved in microtubule function and cell adhesion. Generation of the mouse knockout of GSK3β, as well as studies in neurons, also suggest an important role in apoptosis. The substrate specificity of GSK3 is unusual in that efficient phosphorylation of many of its substrates requires the presence of another phosphorylated residue optimally located four amino acids C-terminal to the site of GSK3 phosphorylation. Recent experiments, including the elucidation of its three-dimensional structure, have enhanced our understanding of the molecular basis for the unique substrate specificity of GSK3. Insulin and growth factors inhibit GSK3 by triggering its phosphorylation, turning the N-terminus into a pseudosubstrate inhibitor that competes for binding with the ‘priming phosphate’ of substrates. In contrast, Wnt proteins inhibit GSK3 in a completely different way, by disrupting a multiprotein complex comprising GSK3 and its substrates in the Wnt signalling pathway, which do not appear to require a ‘priming phosphate’. These latest findings have generated an enormous amount of interest in the development of drugs that inhibit GSK3 and which may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of diabetes, stroke and Alzheimer's disease.

scholarly journals Wnt-signalling pathway in ovarian epithelial tumours: increased expression of β-catenin and GSK3β

2003 ◽  
Vol 89 (7) ◽  
pp. 1298-1304 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Rask ◽  
A Nilsson ◽  
M Brännström ◽  
P Carlsson ◽  
P Hellberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wnt Signalling ◽  
Signalling Pathway ◽  
Wnt Signalling Pathway ◽  
Epithelial Tumours

scholarly journals Cooperation of Cancer Stem Cell Properties and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in the Establishment of Breast Cancer Metastasis

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetsu Hayashida ◽  
Hiromitsu Jinno ◽  
Yuko Kitagawa ◽  
Masaki Kitajima
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Cancer Stem Cell ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Metastatic Tumor ◽  
Breast Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Cell Junctions ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a multistep process in which cells acquire molecular alterations such as loss of cell-cell junctions and restructuring of the cytoskeleton. There is an increasing understanding that this process may promote breast cancer progression through promotion of invasive and metastatic tumor growth. Recent observations imply that there may be a cross-talk between EMT and cancer stem cell properties, leading to enhanced tumorigenicity and the capacity to generate heterogeneous tumor cell populations. Here, we review the experimental and clinical evidence for the involvement of EMT in cancer stem cell theory, focusing on the common characteristics of this phenomenon.

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