title: Bioinformatic Evaluation of Transcriptional Regulation of WNT Pathway Genes with reference to Diabetic Nephropathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  WNT/β-catenin pathway members have been implicated in interstitial fibrosis and glomerular sclerosis disease processes characteristic of diabetic nephropathy (DN), processes partly controlled by transcription factors (TFs) that bind to gene promoter regions attenuating regulation. We sought to identify predicted cis-acting transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) overrepresented within WNT pathway members.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed 62 TFBS motif frequencies from the JASPAR databases in 65 WNT pathway genes. P values were estimated on the hypergeometric distribution for each TF. Gene expression profiles of enriched motifs were examined in DN-related datasets to assess clinical significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transcription factor AP-2 alpha (TFAP2A), myeloid zinc finger 1 (MZF1), and specificity protein 1 (SP1) were significantly enriched within WNT pathway genes (P values < 6.83 × 10(-29), 1.34 × 10(-11), and 3.01 × 10(-6), resp.). MZF1 expression was significantly increased in DN in a whole kidney dataset (fold change = 1.16; 16% increase; P = 0.03). TFAP2A expression was decreased in an independent dataset (fold change = -1.02; P = 0.03). No differential expression of SP1 was detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three TFBS profiles are significantly enriched within WNT pathway genes highlighting the potential of in silico analyses for identification of pathway regulators. Modification of TF binding may possibly limit DN progression, offering potential therapeutic benefit.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK.
authors.forename: Gareth J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK.
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kavanagh
authors.affiliation: Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: John K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Crean
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK.
authors.forename: Alexander P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Maxwell
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D019295:Computational Biology; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000235:genetics*