title: Identification of a link between Wnt/β-catenin signalling and the cell fusion             pathway.
abstract: Cell fusion has a critical role in various developmental processes, immune response,                 tissue homeostasis and regeneration, and possibly, in cancer. However, the signals                 that regulate cell fusion remain poorly understood. In a screen for novel targets of                 Wnt/β-catenin signalling, we identified glial cells missing 1                     (GCM1), which encodes a transcription factor that is involved in                 epigenetic regulation and is critical for the fusion of syncytiotrophoblast (ST)                 cells. Here we show that β-catenin/BCL9-Like (BCL9L)/T-cell factor 4 (TCF4)                 signalling directly targets the GCM1/syncytin pathway and thereby regulates the                 fusion of human choriocarcinoma cells. Furthermore, we show that the GCM1/syncytin-B                 pathway is significantly downregulated in the placenta of BCL9L-deficient mice and                 that the fusion and differentiation of ST-II cells are blocked. Our results                 demonstrate a signal transduction pathway that regulates cell fusion, and may                 provide intriguing perspectives into the various biological and pathological                 processes that involve cell fusion.
authors: Laboratory of Molecular and Genetic Information, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan.
authors: Ken
authors: K
authors: Matsuura
authors: Takafumi
authors: T
authors: Jigami
authors: Kenzui
authors: K
authors: Taniue
authors: Yasuyuki
authors: Y
authors: Morishita
authors: Shungo
authors: S
authors: Adachi
authors: Takao
authors: T
authors: Senda
authors: Aya
authors: A
authors: Nonaka
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Aburatani
authors: Tsutomu
authors: T
authors: Nakamura
authors: Tetsu
authors: T
authors: Akiyama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002459:Cell Fusion; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D047369:Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005260:Female; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D058118:Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C111180:BCL9 protein, human; C568071:BCL9L protein, mouse; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C491089:GCM1 protein, human; C101631:Gcm1 protein, mouse; D015686:Gene Products, env; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; C544894:TCF7L2 protein, human; D058118:Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; C405335:syncytin; C497515:syncytin-B protein, mouse