title: β-Catenin is essential for Müllerian duct regression during male sexual differentiation.
abstract: During male sexual differentiation, the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling molecule anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH; also known as Müllerian inhibiting substance, MIS) is secreted by the fetal testes and induces regression of the Müllerian ducts, the primordia of the female reproductive tract organs. Currently, the molecular identity of downstream events regulated by the AMH signaling pathway remains unclear. We found that male-specific Wnt4 expression in mouse Müllerian duct mesenchyme depends upon AMH signaling, implicating the WNT pathway as a downstream mediator of Müllerian duct regression. Inactivation of β-catenin, a mediator of the canonical WNT pathway, did not affect AMH signaling activation in the Müllerian duct mesenchyme, but did block Müllerian duct regression. These data suggest that β-catenin mediates AMH signaling for Müllerian duct regression during male sexual differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: C Allison
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujioka
authors.forename: Nicholas C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Soazik P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Jamin
authors.forename: Richard R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Behringer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D057507:Mice, 129 Strain; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008954:Models, Biological; D009095:Mullerian Ducts / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D018000:Receptors, Peptide / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013737:Testis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D060528:Wnt4 Protein; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C495267:CTNNB1 protein, mouse; D017931:DNA Primers; D018000:Receptors, Peptide; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D060528:Wnt4 Protein; C555582:Wnt4 protein, mouse; C084621:anti-Mullerian hormone receptor; D051176:beta Catenin; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone