Modulation of morphogenesis by noncanonical Wnt signaling requires ATF/CREB family-mediated transcriptional activation of TGFbeta2.
Transcriptional readout downstream of canonical Wnt signaling is known to be mediated by beta-catenin activation of well-described targets, but potential transcriptional readout in response to noncanonical Wnt signaling remains poorly understood. Here, we define a transcriptional pathway important in noncanonical Wnt signaling. We have found that Wnt11 is a direct target of a canonical beta-catenin pathway in developing heart and that Wnt11 mutants show cardiac outflow tract defects. We provide genetic and biochemical evidence thatWnt11 signaling affects extracellular matrix composition, cytoskeletal rearrangements and polarized cell movement required for morphogenesis of the cardiac outflow tract. Notably, transforming growth factor beta2 (TGFbeta2), a key effector of organ morphogenesis, is regulated by Wnt11-mediated noncanonical signaling in developing heart and somites via one or more activating transcription factor (ATF)/cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB) family members. Thus, we propose that transcriptional readout mediated at least in part by a Wnt11 --> ATF/CREB --> TGFbeta2 pathway is critical in regulating morphogenesis in response to noncanonical Wnt signaling.
Zhou
Wenlai
W
Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.
Lin
Lizhu
L
Majumdar
Arindam
A
Li
Xue
X
Zhang
Xiaoxue
X
Liu
Wei
W
Etheridge
Leah
L
Shi
Yunqing
Y
Martin
James
J
Van de Ven
Wim
W
Kaartinen
Vesa
V
Wynshaw-Boris
Anthony
A
McMahon
Andrew P
AP
Rosenfeld
Michael G
MG
Evans
Sylvia M
SM
D051696:Activating Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019070:Cell Lineage; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism; D000097577:Homeobox Protein PITX2
D051696:Activating Transcription Factors; D001798:Blood Proteins; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; D000097577:Homeobox Protein PITX2; C492004:Creb1 protein, mouse; C509042:Tgfb2 protein, mouse; C508957:Wnt11 protein, mouse