Wnt Signalling and Cancer Flashcards
How many cells does the human body consist of?
50-100 E12
What happens at the membrane during signal transduction?
Receptor/ligand interaction
What happens in the cytoplasm during signal transduction?
Transduction of the signal
What happens in the nucleus during signal transduction?
Transcription is switched on/off
What is cancer a disease of?
Deregulated signal transduction leading to uncontrolled proliferation
Wnt = Wg + Int-1. What do Wg and Int-1 represent?
Wg is drosohila segment polarity gene and Int-1 is the mouse proto-oncogene
In evolution, when did the Wnt pathway appear?
At least 650 million years ago
What are the two types of Wnt pathway?
Canonical and non-canonical
In canonical Wnt signalling, what happens at the cell membrane?
Wnt ligands bind receptors Fz and LRP-5 and LRP-6
What does Fz stand for?
Frizzled
What does LRP stand for?
Low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein family
In canonical Wnt signalling, what happens in the cytoplasm?
Translocation of axin to the membrane and binding to the intracellular tail of LRP
Phosphorylation of Dsh (Dvl)
Accumulation and nuclear translocation of beta-catenin
What does Dsh and Dvl stand for?
Dishevelled
In canonical Wnt signalling, what happens in the nucleus?
New interactions involving TCF/LEF proteins
Transcriptional repression/transcriptional activation switch
Describe the Wnt family of ligands
Consists of 19 glycoproteins which are rich in cysteine
Wnt ligands can be divided into tow groups according to their ability to transform what?
Mouse epithelial cell line C57MG
What are the transforming Wnt ligands?
1, 3, 3a and 7a
What are the non-transforming or weakly transforming Wnt ligands?
2, 4, 5a, 5b, 6, 7b, 11
All Wnt ligands are palmitoylated, what does this mean?
They have a covalent attachment of fatty acids making them hydrophobic and poorly soluble in water
What does CRD stand for?
Cysteine-rich domain
What family is the Wnt receptor frizzled a member of?
The seven-transmembrane-spanning (7TMS) superfamily
What was the first Wnt receptor to be identified?
Frizzled
How was frizzled first identified?
Through genetic studies in drosophila melanogaster
Describe frizzled proteins
Encoded by about 10 conserved genes in humans and other mammals Are a small divergent subclass of 7TMS within the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily
What are LRPs specifically required for?
Beta-catenin (canonical) signalling
What is required for the association of LRP with Fz?
Wnt