Expression of Wnt-1 in PC12 cells results in modulation of plakoglobin and E-cadherin and increased cellular adhesion.
The Wnt-1 gene plays an essential role in fetal brain development and encodes a secreted protein whose signaling mechanism is presently unknown. In this report we have investigated intracellular mechanisms by which the Wnt-1 gene induces morphological changes in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells. PC12 cells expressing Wnt-1 show increased steady-state levels of the adhesive junction protein plakoglobin, and an altered distribution of this protein within the cell. This effect appears similar to a modulation of the plakoglobin homolog, Armadillo, that occurs in Drosophila embryos in response to the Wnt-1 homolog, wingless (Riggleman, B., P. Schedl, and E. Wieschaus. 1990. Cell. 63:549-560). In addition, PC12/Wnt-1 cells show elevated expression of E-cadherin and increased calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion. These results imply evolutionary conservation of cellular responses to Wnt-1/wingless and indicate that in certain cell types Wnt-1 may act to modulate cell adhesion mechanisms.
Bradley
R S
RS
Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York 10021.
Cowin
P
P
Brown
A M
AM
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D002449:Cell Aggregation; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051180:Desmoplakins; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D007700:Kinetics; D016716:PC12 Cells; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D051185:gamma Catenin
D015820:Cadherins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D051180:Desmoplakins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; C495245:Wnt1 protein, rat; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D051185:gamma Catenin; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases