The Wnt gene family encodes proteins that serve key roles in differentiation and development. Wnt proteins interact with seven transmembrane receptors of the Frizzled family and activate a signaling pathway leading to the nucleus. A primary biochemical effect of Wnt-1 signaling is the stabilization of cytoplasmic (beta)-catenin which, in association with transcription factors of the Lef/tcf fam...

Methylation of secreted frizzled-related protein genes (SFRP) associated with the Wnt signaling pathway has previously been reported. However, the diagnostic role of SFRP methylation in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. A systematic search was performed to identify eligible articles for analysis. The pooled OR showed that SFRP1, SFRP2, SFRP4 and SFRP5 methylation was significantly higher...

Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by accumulation of monoclonal plasma cells in the bone marrow and progression of lytic bone lesions. MM cells enhance bone resorption by triggering a coordinated increase in RANK ligand and decrease in osteoprotegerin in the bone marrow. Macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1alpha and (MIP)-1beta are secreted by MM cells, and play a major role in the enha...

To determine the spectrum of secreted proteins that are present in the extracellular space of early Xenopus embryos, a direct secretion screen was performed. Surprisingly, 24% of previously identified bona fide secretory proteins corresponded to four secreted Wnt antagonists of the same family: frzb-1, sizzled, sfrp-2 and crescent. sfrp-2 and crescent are novel components of the growing cocktai...

The Wnt/frizzled cell signaling pathway has been implicated in the determination of polarity in a number of systems, including the Drosophila retina. The vertebrate retina develops from an undifferentiated neuroepithelium into an organized and laminated structure that demonstrates a high degree of polarity at both the tissue and cellular levels. In the process of searching for molecules that ar...

22 23 24 Progressive fibrosis is a pathological hallmark of many chronic diseases responsible for 25 organ failure. Although there is currently no therapy on the market that specifically targets 26 fibrosis, the dynamic fibrogenic process is known to be regulated by multiple soluble mediators 27 that may be therapeutically intervened. The failing hamster heart exhibits marked fibrosis and 28 in...

The extracellular antagonists of the Wnt signalling pathway can be divided into two broad classes. Both classes of molecule prevent ligand-receptor interactions, but by different mechanisms: members of the first class, which include the sFRP (secreted Frizzled-related protein) family, WIF (Wnt inhibitory factor)-1 and Cerberus, primarily bind to Wnt proteins; the second class comprises certain ...