Disease relevance of Wif1

• Furthermore, while for both SFRP-1 and WIF-1 methylation-associated silencing occurred across the whole spectrum of colorectal tumorigenesis, DKK-1 promoter was selectively hypermethylated in advanced colorectal neoplasms (Duke's C and D tumors) [1].
• Recently, CpG island promoter hypermethylation was shown to cause inactivation of two extracellular Wnt inhibitors in colon cancer: secreted frizzled-related proteins (sFRPs) and Wnt inhibitory factor-1 (WIF-1) [1].
• Inactivation of Wnt inhibitory factor-1 (WIF1) expression by epigenetic silencing is a common event in breast cancer [2].
• Here we report the identification of the WNT inhibitory factor 1 (WIF1) gene as a novel HMGA2 fusion partner in a salivary gland pleomorphic adenoma [3].
• Expression of Wif-1, which encodes Wnt inhibitory factor-1 was also detected in a number of tumor cell lines of epithelial cell origin including two human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines [4].

High impact information on Wif1

• In vitro application of Wnt7a protein or inhibitors of Wnt signaling, secreted Frizzled-related protein 1 or Wnt inhibitory factor 1, disrupts bundle orientation [5].
• For at least one of these novel genes, Wnt inhibitory factor 1, and two of the ESTs, expression in developing bone was verified in vivo by in situ hybridization of E16.5 mouse embryos [6].
• Together, these data suggest that WIF-1 and Wnt4, both components of the ECM, regulate mammalian photoreceptor development [7].
• In situ expression analysis in murine tail vertebrae supported Wif1 expression during late phase bone cell differentiation, since Wif1 was found to be expressed in vivo in trabecular, but not in cortical bone [8].
• We also provide evidence indicating that only dkk1 and dkk4, along with two other Wnt antagonists axin2 and wif1, but not dkk2 and dkk3, are involved in a feedback mechanism to restrain Wnt signalling in transgenic mice carrying a conditional augmentation of beta-catenin in the forebrain [9].

Anatomical context of Wif1

• Wnt inhibitory factor-1: a candidate for a new player in tumorigenesis of intestinal epithelial cells [4].

References