title: β-Catenin-dependent FGF signaling sustains cell survival in the anterior embryonic head by countering Smad4.
abstract: Growing evidence suggests that FGFs secreted from embryonic signaling centers are key mediators of cell survival. However, the mechanisms regulating FGF-dependent cell survival remain obscure. At the rostral end of the embryo, for example, ablation of FGF signaling leads to the rapid death of the precursor cells that form the anterior head, including the telencephalon. Here, we outline a core genetic circuit that regulates survival in the embryonic mouse head: WNT signaling through β-catenin directly maintains FGF expression and requires FGF function in vivo to oppose proapoptotic TGF-β signaling through SMAD4. Moreover, these antagonistic pathways converge on the transcriptional regulation of apoptosis, and genes such as Cdkn1a, suggesting a mechanism for how signaling centers in the embryonic head regulate cell survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Hunki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Paek
authors.forename: Jee-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: R Suzanne
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Zukin
authors.forename: Jean M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hébert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006257:Head / Q000196:embryology*; D051379:Mice; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051901:Smad4 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C495267:CTNNB1 protein, mouse; D051901:Smad4 Protein; C490810:Smad4 protein, mouse; D051176:beta Catenin; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors