title: Wnt signaling as potential therapeutic target in lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Wingless-type (Wnt) signaling is tightly regulated at multiple cellular levels and is dysregulated in lung cancer. Therefore, it offers therapeutic targets for developing novel agents for lung cancer treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this article, we discuss the role of the Wnt signaling pathway in lung cancer, highlighting the aberrant activation of Wnt in lung cancer stem cells and its implication in resistance to radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy. We also expound the regulatory roles of microRNAs in Wnt signaling, as well as the potential of the Wnt pathway to provide biomarkers and therapeutic targets in lung cancer. The potential use of small molecule and biological inhibitors targeting the Wnt pathway for lung cancer therapy and prevention is also discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wnt signaling plays an important role in the development and metastasis of lung cancer; the pathway provides targets to develop agents towards for cancer prevention and therapy. A number of clinical trials have shown the effectiveness of Wnt pathway inhibitors in epithelial tumors. However, the side effects should be considered. Nevertheless, the results from clinical studies suggest that inhibitors targeting the Wnt signaling show promise against lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: a Ningxia Key laboratory of Clinical and Pathogenic Microbiology , Center of Laboratory Medicine of General Hospital at Ningxia Medical University , Yinchuan , Ningxia 750004 , China.
authors.forename: Jiali
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine , General Hospital, Ningxia Medical University , Yinchuan , Ningxia , China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: c Department of Thoracic Surgery , General Hospital, Ningxia Medical University , Yinchuan , Ningxia , China.
authors.forename: Jinxi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: c Department of Thoracic Surgery , General Hospital, Ningxia Medical University , Yinchuan , Ningxia , China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Ningxia Key laboratory of Clinical and Pathogenic Microbiology , Center of Laboratory Medicine of General Hospital at Ningxia Medical University , Yinchuan , Ningxia 750004 , China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: d Department of Clinical Oncology , Queen Elizabeth Hospital , Kowloon , Hong Kong.
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: a Ningxia Key laboratory of Clinical and Pathogenic Microbiology , Center of Laboratory Medicine of General Hospital at Ningxia Medical University , Yinchuan , Ningxia 750004 , China.|e Human Stem Cell Institute, General Hospital, Ningxia Medical University , Yinchuan , Ningxia , China.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Biomarker; EGFR; Wnt signaling; cancer stem cells; lung cancer; microRNA; therapeutic target