Wnt5a Stage-Dependently Controls Chondrocyte Maturation through Differential Activation of the CaMK/NFAT and NF-kappaB Pathways

of the CaMK/NFAT and NF-κB Pathways Elizabeth W. Bradley and Hicham Drissi University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT [email protected] INTRODUCTION: The vast majority of cartilage abnormalities are associated with short stature and/or severe axial skeleton deformities. These phenotypes often result from both accelerated or repressed chondrogenesis and chondrocyte maturation. Despite sustained efforts towards understanding the mechanisms responsible for the commitment of progenitor cells into the chondrogenic lineage and their differentiation into hypertrophic chondrocytes, the molecular events that control the progression from immature to mature chondrocytes are still unclear. Although genetic evidence demonstrated a requirement for Wnt5a during cartilage development, little is known about the mechanisms underlying non-canonical Wnt5a-regulated chondrocyte growth and differentiation. We therefore investigated the signal transduction pathways induced by Wnt5a during chondrocyte differentiation and maturation.