The WNT-less wonder: WNT-independent β-catenin signaling.
β-catenin is known as an Armadillo protein that regulates gene expression following WNT pathway activation. However, WNT-independent pathways also activate β-catenin. During the establishment of the melanocyte lineage, β-catenin plays an important role. In the context of physiopathology, β-catenin is activated genetically or transiently in various cancers, including melanoma, where it can be found in the nucleus of tumors. In this review, we discuss alternative pathways that activate β-catenin independent of WNTs and highlight what is known regarding these pathways in melanoma. We also discuss the role of β-catenin as a transcriptional regulator in various cell types, with emphasis on the different transcription factors it associates with independent of WNT induction. Finally, the role of WNT-independent β-catenin in melanocyte development and melanomagenesis is also discussed.
Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, INSERM U1021, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Orsay, France.|CNRS UMR 3347, Univ Paris-Sud, Univ Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France.|Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Orsay, France.
Zackie
Z
Aktary
Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, INSERM U1021, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Orsay, France.|CNRS UMR 3347, Univ Paris-Sud, Univ Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France.|Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Orsay, France.
Juliette U
JU
Bertrand
Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes, INSERM U1021, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Orsay, France. lionel.larue@curie.fr.|CNRS UMR 3347, Univ Paris-Sud, Univ Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France. lionel.larue@curie.fr.|Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Orsay, France. lionel.larue@curie.fr.
Lionel
L
Larue
D000818:Animals; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
D014157:Transcription Factors; D051176:beta Catenin
catenin; development; melanocyte; therapy