title: Targeting the wingless signaling pathway with natural compounds as chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agents.
abstract: The aberrant activation of the wingless (Wnt) signaling pathway is a key element involved in carcinogenesis as Wnt regulates a variety of cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation, survival, apoptosis and cell motility. Upon Wnt receptor activation, the canonical "Wnt/beta-catenin" as well as the non canonical "Wnt/planar cell polarity, Wnt/Ca²⁺" pathways are activated. This offers multiple possibilities to target the aberrant regulation of this signaling pathway in order to counteract cancer proliferation. During the last decade, natural compounds from both marine and terrestrial origins were tested for their potential to modulate the expression of specific genes related to the Wnt signaling cascade but also for their anti-carcinogenic properties. It appears that phenolic compounds (e.g., caffeic acid phenethyl ester, curcumin and derivatives, green, white and black tea, resveratrol, quercetin, isoflavone, fisetin, and isoflavone) as well as other small molecules were able to inhibit the Wnt signaling through the modulation of beta-catenin expression, transcriptional activity and of the subsequent expression of Wnt target genes. Altogether, these findings underline the fact that Wnt signaling could be considered as a promising target for innovative strategies for cancer treatment and prevention.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire du Cancer, Hopital Kirchberg, L-2540 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Teiten
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gaascht
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dicato
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diederich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001688:Biological Products