title: Wnt signaling in regulation of biological functions of the nurse cell harboring Trichinella spp.
abstract: The nurse cell (NC) constitutes in mammalian skeletal muscles a confined intracellular niche to support the metabolic needs of muscle larvae of Trichinella spp. encapsulating species. The main biological functions of NC were identified as hypermitogenic growth arrest and pro-inflammatory phenotype, both inferred to depend on AP-1 (activator protein 1) transcription factor. Since those functions, as well as AP-1 activity, are known to be regulated among other pathways, also by Wnt (Wingless-Type of Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus Integration Site) signaling, transcription profiling of molecules participating in Wnt signaling cascades in NC, was performed.
  
  
  
  Wnt signaling-involved gene expression level was measured by quantitative RT-PCR approach with the use of Qiagen RT(2) Profiler PCR Arrays and complemented by that obtained by searching microarray data sets characterizing NC transcriptome.
  
  
  
  The genes involved in inhibition of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade as well as leading to β-catenin degradation were found expressed in NC at high level, indicating inhibition of this cascade activity. High expression in NC of genes transmitting the signal of Wnt non-canonical signaling cascades leading to activation of AP-1 transcription factor, points to predominant role of non-canonical Wnt signaling in a long term maintenance of NC biological functions.
  
  
  
  Canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade is postulated to play a role at the early stages of NC formation when muscle regeneration process is triggered. Following mis-differentiation of infected myofiber and setting of NC functional specificity, are inferred to be controlled among other pathways, by Wnt non-canonical signaling cascades.
authors: Laboratory of Comparative Enzymology, Department of Biochemistry, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur St., Warsaw, 02-093, Poland. m.dabrowska@nencki.gov.pl.
authors: Magdalena
authors: M
authors: Dabrowska
authors: Department of Genetics, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 5A Pawinskiego St., Warsaw, 02-106, Poland.
authors: Marek
authors: M
authors: Skoneczny
authors: Laboratory of Comparative Enzymology, Department of Biochemistry, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur St., Warsaw, 02-093, Poland.
authors: Zbigniew
authors: Z
authors: Zielinski
authors: Laboratory of Comparative Enzymology, Department of Biochemistry, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur St., Warsaw, 02-093, Poland.
authors: Wojciech
authors: W
authors: Rode
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D032342:Muscle Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014234:Trichinella / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014235:Trichinellosis / Q000469:parasitology*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015801:Helminth Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin
keywords: AP-1 transcription factor; Growth arrest; Inflammatory phenotype; Nurse cell; Trichinella spp.; Wnt signaling