title: Steep differences in wingless signaling trigger Myc-independent competitive cell interactions.
abstract: Wnt signaling is a key regulator of development that is often associated with cancer. Wingless, a Drosophila Wnt homolog, has been reported to be a survival factor in wing imaginal discs. However, we found that prospective wing cells survive in the absence of Wingless as long as they are not surrounded by Wingless-responding cells. Moreover, local autonomous overactivation of Wg signaling (as a result of a mutation in APC or axin) leads to the elimination of surrounding normal cells. Therefore, relative differences in Wingless signaling lead to competitive cell interactions. This process does not involve Myc, a well-established cell competition factor. It does, however, require Notum, a conserved secreted feedback inhibitor of Wnt signaling. We suggest that Notum could amplify local differences in Wingless signaling, thus serving as an early trigger of Wg signaling-dependent competition.
authors.affiliation: MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK. jvincen@nimr.mrc.ac.uk
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.forename: Golnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kolahgar
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gagliardi
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Piddini
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D060466:Axin Protein; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D060466:Axin Protein; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C456459:Notum protein, Drosophila; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051153:Wnt Proteins; C106185:engrailed homeobox proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D053148:Caspase 3